L  I  B  R  A^  R  Y 


Theological  Seminary. 


BV  4639  .E382  1874  c.l 
\     Edwards,  Jonathan,  1703 
1758. 
Christian  love 

(JUK I,  ,  / 


ii.-  y(: 


Christian  Love, 


AS  MANIFESTED   IN   THE   HEART   AND   LIFE. 


BY     / 

JONATHAN  EDWARDS, 

BOMETIMB  PASTOR  OP  THE  CHURCH  AT  NORTHAMPTON,   MASSACHUSETTS, 
AND   PRESIDENT  OF  THE  COLLEGE  OF  NEW  JERSEY. 


edited  from  the  original  manuscript 
By  the  Eev.  TRYON  EDWAEDS,   D.  D. 


SIXTH  AMERICAN  EDITION. 


PHILADELPHIA  : 
PRESBYTERIAN  BOARD  OF  PUBLICATION, 

1334  CHESTNUT  STREET. 


Entered  according  to  Act  of  Congress,  in  the  year  1874,  by 

THE   TRUSTEES   OF   THE 

PRESBYTERIAN    BOARD   OF   PUBLICATION, 
In  the  Office  of  the  Librarian  of  Congress,  at  W;ishington. 


i:n"teoductio]S'. 

Pebhaps  no  person  ever  lived,  who  more  habitually 
unci  carefully  committed  his  thoughts,  on  almost  every 
subject,  to  writing,  than  the  eider  President  Edwards. 
His  ordinary  studies  were  pursued,  pen  in  hand,  and 
with  his  note-books  before  him;  and  he  not  only  often 
stopped,  in  his  daily  rides,  by  the  way  side,  but  fre- 
quently rose  even  at  midnight,  to  commit  to  paper  any 
important  thought  that  occurred  to  him. 

As  the  result  of  this  habit,  his  manuscripts  are 
perhaps  as  thoroughly  the  record  of  the  intellectual 
life  of  their  author,  as  those  of  almost  any  individual 
who  has  a  name  in  either  the  theological  or  literary 
world.  These  manuscripts  are  also  very  numerous. 
The  seventeenth  century  was  an  age  of  voluminous 
authorshij).     The  works  of  Bishop  Hall  amount  tc  ten 

(iii) 


IV  INTEODUCTION. 


volumes  octavo  ;  Lightfoot's  to  thirteen  ;  Jeremy  Tay- 
lor's, to  fifteen ;  Dr.  Goodwin's,  to  twenty  ;  Owen's,  to 
twenty- eight;  while  Baxter's  would  extend  to  some 
sixty  Yolumes,  or  from  thirty  to  forty  thousand"  closely 
printed  octavo  i3ages.  The  writings  of  Edwiu'ds,  if  all 
that  he  wrote  were  published,  would  be  more  volumin- 
ous than  the  works  of  any  of  these  writers,  if  possibly 
tlie  last  two  be  excepted.  A  large  part  of  his  unpub- 
lished manuscripts  have  been  carefully  preserved  and 
kept  together ;  and  some  years  since,  were  committed  to 
the  editor  of  this  work,  as  sole  permanent  trustee,  by 
all  the  then  surviving  grandchildren  of  their  author. 

Included  in  these  manuscripts  are  various  papers,  of 
interest  and  value,  that  have  never  been  given  to  the 
public,  among  which  are  the  Lectures  contained  in 
this  volume.  These  Lectures  were  first  preached  by 
Mr.  Edwards  in  1738,  in  a  series  of  sermons  to  the 
people  of  his  charge  in  Northampton,  and  were  appa- 
rently designed  by  himself  for  publication  ;  Tor  they 
were  written  out  in  full,  and  soon  after  they  were  com- 
pleted he  began  his  discourses  on  the  "  History  of  Re- 
demption," which,  it  is  known,  he  intended  should  he 


INTBODCCTIOX.  V 

published.  After  his  death  they  were  selected  for  pub- 
lication by  Dr.  Hopkins  and  Dr.  Bellamy ;  and  were, 
in  part,  copied  out  and  prepared  for  the  press,  when, 
for  some  reason,  their  preparation  was  interrupted, 
so  that  now,  for  the  first  time,  they  are  given  to  the 
public. 

The  subject  of  these  Lectures  is  eminently  practical 
and  important.  Love  is  the  first  outgoing  of  the  re- 
newed soul  to  God  ;  ''We  love  him  because  he  first 
loved  us."  It  is  the  true  evidence  of  a  saving  work  of 
grace  in  the  soul ;  "  The  fruit  of  the  Spirit  is  lovey  It 
lies  at  the  very  foundation  of  Christian  character ;  we 
are  "rooted  and  grounded  in  lovey  It  is  the  path  in 
which  all  the  true  children  of  God  are  found ;  they 
''  walk  in  love : "  the  bond  of  their  mutual  union ; 
their  hearts  are  "  knit  together  in  love  :  "  their  protec- 
tion in  the  spiritual  warfare ;  they  are  to  put  on  "  the 
breast-plate  of  love :  "  the  fulness  and  completeness  of 
their  Christian  character ;  they  are  "  made  perfect  in 
love  : ''  the  spirit  through  which  they  may  fulfil  all  the 
divine  acquirements  ;  for  "  love  is  the  fulfilling  of  law  :" 
and  that  by  which  they  may  become  like  their  Father 


VI  TNTEODtrCTION. 


in  heaven,  and  fitted  for  his  presence ;  for  "  G  ^d  is 
/ot;«,"  and  Heaven  is  a  world  of  love. 

As  to  the  character  of  the  Lectures,  it  is  sufiici^nt  in 
a  word  to  say,  that  they  are  marked  throughout,  by 
that  strong  and  clear  thought,  those  broad  and  compre- 
hensive views  of  truth,  that  thorough  knowledge  of  hu- 
man nature,  and  that  accurate  and  familiar  acquaint- 
ance with  the  Scriptures,  which  characterize  the  works 
of  their  distinguished  author.  It  is  believed  they  will 
at  once  take  rank  with  his  well-known  works  on  the 
'  Will,"  the  "Affections,"  and  "  Redemption,"  and  be 
deemed  as  valuable  in  their  practical  bearings,  as  the 
first  is  in  its  metapJiysical^  the  second  in  its  experi- 
mental,  or  the  third  in  its  historical.  Of  these  Lec- 
tures, as  of  all  his  works,  it  may  be  said,  as  Johnson 
said  to  Boswell  when  asked  by  the  latter,  "  What  works 
of  Baxter's  he  sha'.ild  read  ?"  "  Read  all,  for  they  are 
aL  excellent." 

T.E. 


PREFACE 

TO  THE  SIXTH  AMERICAN  EDITION. 


This  work,  under  the  title  of  "  Charity  axd  its 
Fruits,"  or  "  Christian  Love,  as  Manifested  in 
THE  Heart  and  Life,"  was  first  published,  from  the 
original  manuscripts,  in  1851.  It  was  republished  in 
England  in  1852.  After  that,  several  editions  were 
issued  in  this  country,  when  the  work  was  purchased 
by  a  Christian  gentleman  of  wealth  and  culture,  with 
the  express  view  of  printing  it  for  distribution  as  a 
means  of  doing  good.  He  had  himself  been  so  im- 
pressed with  its  great  value  as  a  treatise  on  the  Chris- 
tian spirit  and  life  that  he  intended  to  issue  edition 
after  edition,  at  his  own  expense,  for  gratuitous  cir- 
culation in  every  part  of  the  land.  On  second  thought, 
however,  he  liberally  presented  the  stereotype  plates  to 
the  Presbyterian  Board  of  Publication,  so  ar- 
ranging with  them  as  to  be  able  to  carry  out  his  de- 
sign, while,  at  the  same  time,  the  work,  in  their  hands, 
might  have  a  more  extended  circulation,  and  thus  be 
the  means  of  greater  good. 

From  the  day  of  its  first  publication,  the  work  has 
received  the  highest  testimonials  to  its  value  from 
numbers  of  those  best  qualified  to  judge.  One  of  our 
ablest  writers  says :  "  This  new  work  from  the  great  mind 


Vlll  PREFACE. 

and  heart  of  Edwards  needs  from  me  no  word  of  com- 
mendation. I  find  in  it  the  same  exhaustive  analj'sis, 
the  same  earnest  spirituality,  and  the  same  wondei/ul 
familiarity  with  the  Bible  and  the  human  heart,  which 
distinguish  his  great  work  on  the  '  Affections.'  How 
true  to  the  high  standard  of  gospel  truth  !  How  full 
of  the  richest  practical  lessons !  How  affectionately 
severe  to  the  reader's  soul !"  And  John  Angell  James 
once  said  to  an  American  clergyman,  "  Had  I  seen  this 
noble  work  of  Edwards  before  I  published  on  the 
same  subject,  I  should  hardly  have  allowed  my  work 
('Christian  Charity  Explained')  to  go  to  the  press. 
It  is  admirable — every  word  of  it!"  One  Christian 
gentleman,  a  man  of  thought  and  culture,  writes, 
"I  keep  'Charity  and  its  Fruits'  on  my  table, 
next  to  my  Bible ;"  while  another,  a  minister  of  ripe 
experience  and  extensive  reading,  says,  "I  hardly 
know  a  book  that  has  interested  or  profited  me  more. 
I  find,  on  looking  over  my  copy,  that  I  have  marked 
with  my  pencil,  as  striking  or  instructive,  more  pas- 
sages than  there  are  pages  to  the  book !" 

Similar  testimonies,  from  various  sources,  might 
easily  be  multiplied.  But  the  work  will  best  speak 
for  itself.  Published,  as  it  now  is,  by  the  Presbyte- 
rian Board  of  Publication,  as  one  of  its  standard 
works,  it  is  earnestly  commended  to  the  divine  bless- 
ing, and  to  the  prayerful  study  of  the  reader. 

October,  1872. 


CONTENTS 


LECTURE  I. 

PAQl 

iLL    TRUE     GRACE     IN     THE     HEART,    SUMMED     VP    !N 
CHARITY,    OR    LOVE 1 


LECTURE  TL 

CHARITY,    OR     LOVE,    MORE     EXCELLENT     THAN     THE 

EXTRAORDINARY    GIFTS    OF    THE    SPIRIT  .  .       38 


LECTURE  III. 

A7X     THAT     CAN     RE     DONE     OR     SUFFERED,    IN     VAIN 

WITHOUT    CHARITY    OR    LOVE  .  .  .  .73 


LECTURE  IV. 

CHARITY     MEEK    IN    BEARING    EVIL    AND    INJURIES  .      96 

LECTURE  V. 

CHARITY    CHEERFUL    AND    FREE    IN    DOING    GOOD  .    1 3S 


COI^TENTS. 


LECTURE  VI. 

PAOR 

THE      SPIRIT      OF      CHARITY,     THE      OPPOSITE      OF     AN 

ENVIOUS    SPIRIT 161 


LECTURE  VII. 

THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY,    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT     .  .185 


LECTURE  VIII. 

7HE  SPIRIT  OF  CHARITY,  THE    OPPOSITE    OF   A    SELFISH 

SPIRIT 226 


LECTURE  IX. 

THE    SPIRIT    OF  CHARITY,  THE    OPPOSITE  OF  AN  ANGRY 

OR    WRATHFUL    SPIRIT 268 


LECTURE  X. 

THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY,  THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A  CENSO- 
RIOUS  SPIRIT     ....  ...    294 


LECTURE  XL 

ALL    TRUE     GRACE     IN    THE     HEART    TENDS   TO   HOLY 

PRACTICE    IN    THE    LIFE 318 


CONTENTS.  XI 


LECTURE  XII. 

PAQB 

mAKITT  WILLING    TO    UNDERGO  ALL    SUFFERINGS  FOR 

CHRIST 361 


LECTURE  XIII. 

ALL     THE     CHRISTIAN    GRACES    CONNECTED    AND     MU- 
TUALLY   DEPENDENT 386 


LECTURE  XIV. 

CHARITY,  OR    TRUE    GRACE,  NOT    TO    BE    OVERTHROWN 

BY   OPPOSITION 410 


LECTURE  XV. 

THE     HOLY    SPIRIT     FOREVER     TO    BE    COMMUNICATED  / 

TO   THE    SAINTS,    IN    CHARITY    OR    LOVE  .  .  .    43^ 


LECTURE  XVI. 

[EAVEN   A   WORLD   OF   CHAHITT   OR    LOVE  ,  .    463 


LECTURE  I. 


OnAKITY,  OK     LOVE    THE    SUIVI    OF    ALL  VIRTUE. 


'  Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels,  and 
have  not  chanty,  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass,  or  a 
tinkling  cymbal.  And  though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophesy, 
and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge;  and 
though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could  remove  mountains, 
and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing.  And  though  I  be- 
stow all  my  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  though  I  give  my 
body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not  charity,  it  profiteth  me 
nothing." — 1  Corinthians  xiii.  1-3. 

In  these  words  we  observe — First^  that  some 
thing  is  spoken  of  as  of  special  importance, 
and  as  peculiarly  essential  in  Christians,  which 
the  Apostle  calls  chaeity.  And  this  charity, 
we  find,  is  abundantly  insisted  on  in  the  ISTew 
Testament  by  Christ,  and  his  apostles, — more 
insisted  on,  indeed,  than  any  other  virtue. 

But,  then,  the  word  "  charity,"  as  used  in 

the  Is^ew  Testament,  is  of  much  more  exten- 

sivie  signification,  tlian  as  it  is  used  generally 

in   common   discourse.     What  persons   very 

1 


2  LOVE   THE   SUM   OF    ALL   VIRTUE. 


often  mean  by  "  charity,"  in  tlieir  ordinary 
conversation,  is  a  disposition  to  liope  and 
think  the  best  of  others,  and  to  put  a  good 
construction  on  tlieir  words  and  behavior; 
and  sometimes  the  word  is  used  for  a  disposi- 
tion to  give  to  the  poor.  But  these  things 
are  only  certain  particular  branches,  or  fruits 
of  that  great  virtue  of  charity  which  is  so 
much  insisted  on  throughout  the  New  Testa- 
ment. The  word  properly  signifies  love^  or 
that  disposition  or  affection  wherehy  one  is 
dear  to  another  ;  and  the  original  ("  agape"), 
which  is  here  translated  "  charity^''''  might 
better  have  been  rendered  "  love^^'^  for  that 
is  the  proj^er  English  of  it :  so  that  by  char- 
ity in  the  ISTew  Testament,  is  meant  the  very 
same  thing  as  Christian  love ;  and  though  it 
be  more  frequently  used  for  love  to  men,  yet 
sometimes  it  is  used  to  signify  not  only  love 
to  men,  but  love  to  God.  So  it  is  manifestly 
used  by  the  Apostle  in  this  epistle,  as  he  ex 
j^ains  himself  in  chapter  viii.  1 — ''Khowl 
edge  pufieth  up,  but  charity  edifieth,"  &c. 
Here  the  comparison  is  between  knowledge 
and  charity — and  the  preference  is  given  to 
charity,  because  knowledge  puffeth  up,  but 
charity  edifieth.     And  then,  in  the  next  two 


LOVE    THE   SUM    OF    ALL    VIRTUE. 


verses,  it  is  more  particularly  explained  how 
knov^ledge  usually  puffs  up,  and  why  cliarity 
edifieth  ;  so  that  what  is  called  cliarity  in 
the  first  verse,  is  called  loving  God  in  the 
third,  for  the  very  same  thing  is  evidently 
spoken  of  in  the  two  places.  And  doubtless 
the  apostle  means  the  same  thing  by  charity 
in  this  thirteenth  chapter,  that  he  does  in  the 
eighth  ;  for  he  is  here  comparing  the  same 
two  things  together  that  he  w^as  there,  viz. : 
knowledge  and  charity.  "Though  I  have  all 
knowledge  and  have  not  charity,  I  am  noth- 
ing ;"  and  again,  "  charity  never  faileth,  but 
— knowledge,  it  shall  vanish  away."  So  that 
by  charity  here,  w^e  are  doubtless  to  under- 
stand Christian  love  in  its  full  extent,  and 
w^hether  it  be  exercised  toward  God,  or  om' 
fellow-creatures. 

And  this  charity  is  here  spoken  of,  as  that 
which  is,  in  a  distinguishing  manner,  the 
great  and  essential  thing  :  w^hich  will  appear 
more  fully  when  we  observe,  Secondly^  what 
things  are  mentioned  as  being  in  vain  w^ith- 
out  it,  viz. :  the  most  excellent  things  that 
ever  belong  to  natural  men  ;  the  most  excel- 
lent privileges,  and  the  most  excellent  j^er- 
formances.     Firsty  the  most  excellent  privi- 


LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE. 


leges,  such  as  preaching  with  tongues,  the 
gift  of  prophecy,  understanding  all  myste- 
ries, faith  to  remove  mountains,  &c. ;  and  Sec- 
ondly^ the  most  excellent  performances,  sucli 
as  giving  all  one's  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and 
the  body  to  be  burned,  &c.  Greater  things 
than  these,  no  natural  man  ever  had  or  did, 
and  they  are  the  kind  of  things  in  which  men 
are  exceedingly  prone  to  trust ;  and  yet  the 
apostle  declares  that  if  we  have  them  all,  and 
have  not  charity,  we  are  nothing.  The  doc- 
trine taught,  then,  is  this  : 

That  all  the  virtue  that  is  saving,  and 

THAT  distinguishes  TRUE  CHRISTIANS  FROM 
OTHERS,  IS  SUMMED  UP  IN  CHRISTIAN  LOVE.     This 

appears  from  the  words  of  the  text,  because 
SO  many  other  things  are  mentioned  that  nat- 
ural men  may  have,  and  the  things  mention- 
ed are  of  the  highest  kind  it  is  possible  they 
should  have,  both  of  privilege  and  perform- 
ance, and  yet  it  is  said  they  all  avail  nothing 
withoit  this,  whereas  if  any  of  thenr- w^ere 
saving,  they  would  avail  something  without  it. 
And  by  the  apostle's  mentioning  so  many 
and  so  high  things,  and  then  saying  of  them 
all  that  they  profited  nothing  without  charity, 
we  may  justly  conclude,  that  there  vi  nothing 


LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE. 


&i  dll  that  avails  anything  without  it.  Let  a 
man  have  what  he  will,  and  do  what  he  will, 
it  signifies  nothing  w^ithout  charity,  which 
surely  implies  that  charity  is  the  great  thing, 
and  that  everything  which  has  not  charity  in 
some  way  contained  or  imjjlied  in  it  is  noth- 
ing, >  nd  that  this  charity  is  the  life  and  soul 
of  all  religion,  without  which  all  things  that 
wear  the  name  of  virtues  are  empty  and  vain. 

In  speaking  to  this  doctrine,  I  would  first 
notice  the  nature  of  this  divine  love,  and  then 
show  the  truth  of  the  doctrine  respecting  it. 
And 

1.  I  would  speak  of  the  nature  of  a  truly 
Christian  love.     And  here  I  would  observe 

1.  That  all  true  Christian  love  is  one  and 
the  same  in  its  jprhim/ple.  It  may  be  various 
in  its  forms  and  objects,  and  maybe  exercised 
either  toward  God  or  men,  but  it  is  the  same 
principle  in  the  heart  that  is  the  foundation 
of  every  exercise  of  a  truly  Christian  love, 
whatever  may  be  its  object.  It  is  not  with 
the  holy  love  in  the  heart  of  the  Christian,  as 
it  is  w^ith  the  love  of  other  men.  Their  love 
toward  different  objects,  may  be  from  differ- 
ent principles  and  motives,  and  with  different 
views  ;  but  a  truly  Christian  love  is  different 


6       LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE. 


from  this.  It  is  one  as  to  its  principle,  what- 
ever  the  object  about  which  it  is  exercised; 
it  is  from  the  same  spring  or  fountain  in  the 
heart,  though  it  may  flow  out  in  different 
channels  and  diverse  directions,  and  -there- 
fore it  is  all  fitly  comprehended  in  the  one 
name  of  chariti^^  as  in  the  text. "  That  this 
Christian  love  is  one,  whatever  the  objects 
toward  which  it  may  flow  forth,  appears  by 
the  following  things  : — 

First^  It  is  all  froyyi  the  same  Sjnrit  influ- 
encing the  heart.  It  is  from  the  breathing  o^ 
the  same  Spirit  that  true  Christian  love  arises, 
both  toward  God  and  man.  The  Spirit  o."^ 
God  is  a  Spirit  of  love,  and  when  the  former 
enters  the  soul,  love  also  enters  with  it.  God 
is  love,  and  he  that  has  God  dwelling  in  him 
by  his  Spirit,  will  have  love  dwelling  in  him 
also.  The  nature  of  the  Holy  Spirit  is  love  ; 
and  it  is  by  communicating  himself,  in  his 
own  nature,  to  the  saints,  that  their  hearts  are 
filled  with  divine  charity.  Hence  we  find 
that  the  saints  are  partakers  of  the  divine  na- 
ture, and  Christian  love  is  called  the  "  love 
of  the  Spirit,"  Romans  xv,  30,  and  "love  in 
the  Spirit,"  Col.  i.  8,  and  the  very  bowels  of 
love   and  mercy  seem   to   signify   the  same 


LOVE    THE    SUM    OF    ALL    VIRTUE.  T 

thing  with  the  fellowship  of  the  Spirit,  Phil.  ii. 
1.  It  is  that  Spirit,  too,  that  infuses  love  to  God, 
Rom.  V.  5  ;  and  it  is  by  the  indwelling  of  that 
Spirit,  that  the  soul  abides  i/i  love  to  God  and 
man,  1  John,  xiv.  12, 13  ;  and  iii.  23,  21:.   And, 

Second^  Christian  love  both  to  God  and  man, 
is  wrought  in  the  heart  hy  the  same  ivorh  of 
the  Spirit.  There  are  not  two  works  of  the 
S]3irit  of  God,  one  to  infuse  a  spirit  of  love 
to  God,  and  the  other  to  infuse  a  sj)irit  of 
love  to  men,  but  in  producing  one,  the  Spirit 
produces  the  other  also.  In  the  work  of  con- 
version, the  Holy  Spirit  renews  the  heart  by 
giving  it  a  divine  temper ;  Eph.  iv.  23,  and 
it  is  one  and  the  same  divine  temper  thus 
wrought  in  the  heart,  that  flows  out  in  love 
both  to  God  and  man.     And, 

Thirds  When  God  and  man  are  loved  with 
a  truly  Christian  love,  they  are  both  loved 
from  the  same  motives.  When  God  is  loved 
aright,  he  is  loved  for  his  excellency,  and  the 
beauty  of  his  nature,  especially  the  holiness 
of  his  nature  ;  and  it  is  from  the  same  motive 
that  the  saints  are  loved,  for  holiness'  sake. 
And  all  things  that  are  loved  with  a  truly  \ 
holy  love,  are  hjved  from  the  same  respect  to 
God.     Love  to  God  is  the  foundation  of  ffra- 


8  LOVE    THE    SIXM    OF   ALL   VIETUE. 


cions  love  to  men  ;  and  men  ai^  loved,  either 
because  they  are  in  some  respect  like  God  in 
tlie  possession  of  his  nature  and  spiritual 
image,  or  because  of  the  relation  they  stand 
in  to  him  as  his  children  or  creatures — as 
those  who  are  blessed  of  him,  or  to  whom  his 
mercy  is  offered,  or  in  some  other  way  from 
regard  to  him.  Only  remarking  that  though 
Christian  love  be  one  in  its  principle,  yet  it  is 
distinguished  and  variously  denominated  in 
two  ways,  with  respect  to  its  objects,  and  the 
kinds  of  its  exercise,  as  for  example,  its  de- 
grees, &c.     I  now  j)roceed, 

II.  To  show  the  truth  of  the  doctrine^  that 
all  virtue  that  is  saving  or  distiiKj wishing  of 
true  Christians^  is  summed  up  in  Christian 
love.     And, 

1.  We  may  argue  this  from  whai  reason 
teaches  of  the  nature  of  love.  And  if  we  duly 
consider  its  nature,  two  things  will  appear. 

First.,  That  love  will  dispose  to  all  2y^"oper 
acts  of  respect  to  hotJi  God  and  man.  T4iis  is 
evident  because  a  true  respect  to  either  G(>d 
or  man  consists  in  love.  If  a  num  sincerely 
loves  God,  it  will  dispose  him  to  render  ail 
proper  respect  to  him ;  and  men  need  no 
other  incitcjnent  to  show  each  other  all  the 


LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE.        [) 

respect  that  is  due,  than  love.  Love  to  God 
^»^ill  dispose  a  man  to  honor  him,  to  worship 
and  adore  him,  and  heartily  to  acknowledge 
his  greatness,  and  glory,  and  dominion.  And 
60  it  will  dispose  to  all  acts  of  obedienc^e  t:) 
God ;  for  the  servant  that  loves  his  master, 
and  the  subject  that  loves  his  sovereign,  w^ill 
be  disposed  to  proper  subjection  and  obe- 
dience. Love  will  dispose  the  Christian  to 
behave  toward  God,  as  a  child  to  a  father ; 
amid  difficulties  to  resort  to  him  for  help,  an/' 
put  all  his  trust  in  him;  just  as  it  is  natura^. 
for  us,  in  case  of  need  or  affliction,  to  go  to 
one  that  w^e  love  for  pity  and  help.  It  will 
lead  us,  too,  to  give  credit  to  his  word,  and  tl, 
put  confidence  in  him  ;  for  we  are  not  apt  to 
suspect  the  veracity  of  those  we  have  entire 
friendship  for.  It  will  dispose  us  to  praise 
God  for  the  mercies  we  receive  from  him,  just 
as  we  are  disposed  to  gratitude  for  any  kind- 
ness we  receive  from  our  fellow-men  that  we 
love.  Love,  again,  will  dispose  our  hearts  to 
submission  to  the  will  of  God,  for  we  are 
more  willing  that  the  will  of  those  we  love 
should  be  done,  than  of  others.  We  natural- 
ly desire  that  those  we  love  should  be  suited, 
and  that  we  should  be   ajxreeable  to  them* 


10      LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  TmTUE. 


and  true  affection  and  love  to  God  will  dis- 
})0se  the  heart  to  acknowledge  God's  right  to 
govern,  and  that  he  is  worthy  to  do  it,  and  so 
^ill  disji^ose  to  submission.  Love  to  God  will 
dispose  us  to  walk  humbly  with  him,  for  lie 
that  loves  God  will  be  disposed  to  acknowl- 
edge the  vast  distance  between  God  and  him- 
self. It  will  be  agreeable  to  such  an  one,  to 
exalt  God,  and  set  him  on  high  above  all,  and 
to  lie  low  before  him.  A  true  Christian  de- 
lights to  have' God  exalted  on  his  own  abase- 
ment, because  he  loves  him.  He  is  willing 
to  own  that  God  is  worthy  of  this,  and  it  is 
with  delight  that  he  casts  himself  in  the  dust 
before  the  Most  High,  from  his  sincere  love  to 
him. 

And  so  a  due  consideration  of  the  nature 
of  love  will  show  that  it  disposes  men  to  all 
duties  toward  their  neighbors.  If  men  have 
a  sincere  love  to  their  neighbors,  it  will  dis- 
pose them  to  all  acts  of  justice  toward  those 
neighbors — for  real  love  and  friendship  al- 
ways dispose  us  to  give  those  we  love  their 
due,  and  never  to  wrong  them.  Rom.  xiii.  10. 
"  Love  worketh  no  ill  to  his  neighbor."  And 
the  same  love  will  dispose  to  truth  toward 
neighbors,  and  will  tend  to  prevent  all  lying, 


LOYE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE.      11 


and  fraud,  and  deceit.  Men  are  not  disposed 
to  exercise  fraud  and  treachery  toward  those 
they  love ;  for  thus  to  treat  men  is  to  treat 
them  like  enemies,  but  love  destroys  enmity. 
Thus  the  apostle  makes  use  of  the  oneness 
that  there  ought  to  be  among  Christians,  as  au 
argument  to  induce  them  to  truth  between 
man  and  man.  Ephesians  iv.  25.  Love  will 
disj^ose  to  walk  humbly  amongst  men,  for  a 
real  and  true  love  w^ill  incline  us  to  hio^h 
thoughts  of  others,  and  to  think  them  better 
than  ourselves.  It  will  dispose  men  to  honor 
dne-arnother,  for  all  are  naturally  incliDcd  to 
think  highly  of  those  they  love,  and  to  give 
them  honor;  so  that  by  love  are  fulfilled 
those  precepts,  1  Peter  xi.  17,  "Honor  all 
men,"  and  Phil.  ii.  3,  "  Let  nothing  be  done 
through  strife  or  vain  glory,  but  in  lowdiness 
of  mind,  let  each  esteem  other  better  thaif. 
themselves."  Love  will  dispose  to  content- 
ment in  the.  sphere  in  which  God  hath  placed 
us,  w^ithout  coveting  any  things  that  our 
neighbor  possesses,  or  envying  him  on  ac- 
count of  any  good  thing  that  he  has.  It  will 
dispose  men  to  meekness  and  gentleness  in 
their  carriage  tow^ard  their  neighbors,  and 
not  to  treat  them  with  passion,  or  violence,  or 


12       LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTrE 


heat  of  spirit,  but  with  moderation,  and  calm- 
ness, and  kindness.  It  will  check  and  re- 
strain everything  like  a  hitter  spirit  ;  for 
love  has  no  bitterness  in  it,  but  is  a  gentle 
and  sweet  disposition  and  affection  of  the 
soul.  It  will  prevent  broils  and  quarrels,  and 
will  disj^ose  men  to  peaceableness,  and  to 
forgive  injurious  treatment  received  from 
others  ;  as  it  is  said  in  Proverbs  x.  12,  "  Ha- 
tred stirreth  up  strifes,  but  love  covereth  all 
sins." 

Love  will  dispose  men  to  all  acts  of  mercy 
toward  their  neighbors  when  they  are  under 
any  affliction  or  calamity,  for  we  are  natural- 
ly disposed  to  pity  those  that  we  love  whev. 
they  are  afflicted.  It  will  dispose  men  to 
give  to  the  poor,  to  bear  one  another's  bur- 
dens, and  to  weep  with  those  that  weep,  as 
well  as  to  rejoice  with  those  that  do  rejoice. 
It  will  dispose  men  to  the  duties  they  owe  tc 
one  another  in  their  several  23laces  and  rela- 
tions. It  will  dispose  a  people  to  all  the  duties 
they  owe  to  Iheir  rulers,  and  to  give  them  all 
that  honor  and  subjection  which  are  their  due. 
And  it  will  dispose  rulers  to  rule  the  people 
over  whom  they  are  set,  justly,  seriously  and 
faithfully,  seeking  their  good,  and  not  a;:y 


LOVE   THE   SUM    OF   ALL  VIKTUE.  lc$ 


bj-ends  of  tlieir  own.  It  will  dispose  a 
people  to  all  proper  duty  to  their  ministers, 
to  hearken  to  their  counsels  and  instructions, 
and  to  submit  to  them  in  the  house  of  God, 
and  to  support  and  sympathize  with  and  pray 
for  them  as  those  that  watch  for  their  souls ; 
and  it  will  disj)ose  ministers  faithfully  and 
ceaselessly  to  seek  the  good  of  the  souls  of 
their  people,  watching  for  them  as  those  that 
must  give  account.  Love  will  dispose  to 
suitable  carriage  between  superiors  and  in- 
feriors :  it  will  dispose  children  to  honor  their 
parents,  and  servants  to  be  obedient  to  their 
masters,  not  with  eye  service,  but  in  single- 
ness of  heart ;  and  it  will  dispose  masters  to 
exercise  gentleness  and  goodness  toward  their 
servants. 

Thus  love  would  dispose  to  all  duties  both 
toward  God,  and  toward  man.  And  if  it  will 
thus  dispose  to  all  duties,  then  it  follows,  that 
it  is  the  root,  and  spring,  and,  as  it  were,  a 
comprehension  of  all  virtues.  It  is  a  prin- 
ciple, which  if  it  be  implanted  in  the  heart, 
is  alone  sufficient  to  produce  all  good  prac- 
tice ;  and  every  right  disposition  toward  God 
and  man  is  simimed  up  in  it,  and  comes  from 


14      LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE. 


it,  as  the  fruit  from  the  tree,  or  the  stream 
from  the  fountain. 

Second^  Eeason  teaches  that  whatever  jper- 
formances  or  seeming  virtues  there  a/re  with- 
out love^  are  iinsound  and  hypoGritical.  If 
there  be  no  love  in  what  men  do,  then  there 
is  no  true  respect  to  God  or  men  in  their  con- 
duct; and  if  so,  then  certainly  there  is  no 
sincerity.  Religion  is  nothing  without  proper 
respect  to  God.  The  very  notion  of  religion 
among  mankind,  is,  that  it  is  the  creature's 
exercise  and  expression  of  such  respect  to- 
ward the  creator.  But  if  there  be  no  true  re- 
spect or  love,  then  all  that  is  called  religion 
is  but  a  seeming  show,  and  there  is  no  real 
religion  in  it,  but  it  is  unreal  and  vain.  Thus 
if  a  man's  faith  be  of  such  a  sort  that  there 
is  no  true  respect  to  God  in  it,  reason  teaches 
that  it  must  be  in  vain ;  for  if  there  be  no 
love  to  God  in  it,  there  can  be  no  true  respect 
to  him.  From  this  it  appears  that  love  is  al 
ways  contained  in  a  true  and  living  'faith, 
and  that  it  is  its  true  and  proper  life  and  soul, 
without  which,  faith  is  as  dead  as  the  body  is 
without  its  soul ;  and  that  it  is  that  which  es- 
pecially distinguishes  a  living  faith  from 
every  other :    but  of   this  more  particularlj? 


LOVE    THE    SUil    OF    ALL  VIRTDE.  15 


hereafter.  Without  love  to  God,  again,  there 
can  be  no  true  honor  to  him.  A  man  is  never 
hearty  in  the  honor  he  seems  to  render  to  an- 
other whom  he  does  not  love  ;  so  that  all  the 
seeming  honor  or  worship  that  is  ever  paid 
without  love,  is  but  hypocritical.  And  so 
reason  teaches  that  there  is  no  sincerity  in 
the  obedience  that  is  performed  without  love, 
for  if  there  be  no  love,  nothing  that  is  done 
can  be  spontaneous  and  free,  but  all  must  be 
forced.  So  without  love,  there  can  be  no 
hearty  submission  to  the  will  of  God,  and 
there  can  be  no  real  and  cordial ,  trust  and 
confidence  in  him.  He  that  does  not  love 
God  will  not  trust  him :  he  never  will,  with 
true  acquiescence  of  soul,  cast  himself  into 
the  hands  of  God,  or  into  the  arms  of  his 
mercy. 

And  so  whatever  good  carriage  there  may 
be  in  men  toward  their  neighbors,  yet  reason 
teaches  that  it  is  all  unacceptable  and  in  vain 
if  at  the  same  time  there  be  no  real  respect 
in  the  heart  toward  those  neighbors ;  if  the 
outward  conduct  is  not  prompted  by  inward 
love.  And  from  these  two  things  taken  to- 
gether, viz.,  that  love  is  of  such  a  nature  that 
it  will  pi-jduce  all  virtues,  and  dispose  to  all 


16  LOVE    THE    SrM    OF    ALL  VIRTITE. 


duties  to  God  and  men,  and  that  without  it 
there  can  be  no  sincere  virtue,  and  no  duty 
at  all  properly  performed,  the  truth  of  tbe 
doctrine  follows,  that  all  true  and  distinguish- 
ing Christian  virtue  and  grace  may  be  sum- 
med up  in  love.     In  the 

2.  The  BcTijptures  teach  us  that  love  is  the 
sum  of  all  that  is  contained  in  the  law  of 
God^  and  of  all  the  duties  required  in  his 
word.  This  the  Scriptures  teach  of  the  law 
in  general,  and  of  each  table  of  the  law  in 
particular. 

First.^  The  Scriptures  teach  this  of  the  law 
and  word  of  God  in  general.  By  the  law,  in 
the  Scriptures,  is  sometimes  meant  the  whole 
of  the  written  word  of  God,  as  in  John  x.  3i. 
"  Is  it  not  written  in  your  law,  I  said  ye  are 
gods  ?''  And  sometimes  by  the  law  is  meant 
the  five  books  of  Moses,  as  in  Acts  xxiv.  14, 
where  it  is  named  with  the  distinction  of  the 
"law"  and  the  "prophets."  And  sometimes 
Xyj  the  law,  is  meant  the  ten  command Qients,  as 
containing  the  sum  of  all  the  duty  of  man- 
kind, and  all  that  is  required  as  of  univ^ersal 
and  perpetual  obligation.  But  whether  we 
tiike  the  law  as  signifying  only  the  ten  com- 
mai)dments,  or  as  including  the  whole  writteu 


LOVE    THE    SUII    OF    ALL   VIRTUE.  17 


word  of  God,  the  Scriptures  teacli  us  that  the 
sum  of  all  that  is  required  iu  it  is  love.  Thus 
when  bv  the  law  is  meant  the  ten  command- 
ments, it  is  said  in  Romans  xiii.  8,  "  He  that 
Joveth  another  hath  fulfilled  the  law;"  and 
therefore  several  of  the  commandments  are 
rehearsed,  and  it  is  added,  in  the  tenth  verse, 
that  "  love"  (which  leads  us  to  obey  them 
all,)  "  is  the  fulfilling  of  the  law."  'Now  un- 
less love  was  the  sum  of  what  the  law  requires, 
the  law  could  not  be  wholly  fulfilled  in  love ; 
for  a  law  is  fulfilled  only  by  obedience  to  the 
sum  or  whole  of  what  it  contains  and  enjoins. 
So  the  same  apostle  again  declares,  I.Timothy, 
i.  5,  ^'  Now  the  end  of  the  commandment  is 
charity  out  of  a  pure  heart,  and  of  a  good 
conscience,  and  of  faith  unfeigned,  &c."  Or 
if  we  take  the  law  in  a  yet  more  extensive 
sense,  as  the  whole  written  word  of  God,  the 
Scriptures  still  teach  us,  that  love  is  the  sum 
of  all  that  is  required  in  it.  In  Matthew  xxii. 
40,  Christ  teaches,  that  on  the  two  precepts 
of  loving  God  with  all  the  heart,  and  our 
r  eighbor  as  ourselves,  hang  all  the  law  and 
the  prophets ;  i.  e.  all  the  written  word  of 
God  ;  for  what  was  then  called  the  law  and 


18      LOYE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE. 


the  prophets,  was  the  whole  written  word  of 
God  that  was  then  extant.     And, 

Second^  The  Scriptures  teach  the  same  thing 
of  eacJi  table  of  the  law  in  particular.  The 
command  "  Thou  shalt  love  the  Lord  thy  God 
with  all  thy  heart,"  is  declared  by  Christ, 
Matthew  xxii.  38,  to  be  the  sum  of  the  first 
table  of  the  law,  or  the  first  great  command- 
ment ;  and  in  the  next  verse,  to  love  our 
neighbor  as  ourself,  is  declared  to  be  the  sum 
of  the  second  table  ;  as  it  is,  also,  in  Remans 
xiii.  9,  where  the  precepts  of  the  second  table 
of  the  law  are  particularly^  specified :  and  it 
is  then  added,  "  And  if  there  be  any  other 
commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehend  3d  in 
this  saying,  namely.  Thou  shalt  love  thy 
neighbor  as  thyself."  And  so  in  Galatians 
V.  14,  "  For  all  the  law  is  fulfilled  in  one 
word,  even  in  this.  Thou  sbalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself."  And  the  same  seems  to  be 
stated  in  James  ii.  8,  "  If  ye  fulfil  the  royal 
law,  according  to  the  Scripture,  Thou-  shalt 
love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself,  ye  do  well." 
Hence  love  appears  to  be  the  sum  of  all  the 
virtue  and  duty  that  God  requires  of  us,  and 
therefore  must  undoubtedly  be  the  most  essen- 
tia^  thinir — the  sum  of  all  the  virtue  that  is 


LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE.      IS 


essential  and  distinguishing  in  real  Chris- 
tianity. That  which  is  the  sum  of  all  duty, 
must  be  the  sum  of  all  real  virtue. 

3.  The  truth  of  the  doGtrine  as  shown  hy 
the  Scriptures^  appears  from  this^  that  the 
apostle  teaches  us^  Galatians  v.  6,  that  ^^  faith 
works  hy  love.''''  A  truly  Christian  faith  is 
that  which  produces  good  works  ;  but  all  the 
good  works  which  it  produces,  are  by  love. 
By  this,  two  things  are  evident  to  the  present 
purpose. 

First^  That  true  love  is  an  ingredient  in 
true  and  living  faith^  and  is  %ohat  is  most 
essential  and  distinguishing  in  it.  Love  is 
no  ingredient  in  a  merely  speculative  faith, 
but  it  is  the  life  and  soul  of  a  practical  faith. 
A  truly  practical  or  saving  faith,  is  light  and 
heat  together,  or  rather  light  and  love,  while 
that  which  is  only  a  speculative  faith,  is  only 
light  without  heat ;  and  in  that  it  wants  spir- 
itual heat  or  divine  love,  is  in  vain  and  good 
for  nothing.  A  speculative  faith  consists  only 
in  the  assent  of  the  understanding  ;  but  in 
a  saving  faith  there  is  also  the  consent  of  the 
heart ;  and  that  faith  wdiicli  is  only  of  the 
former  kind,  is  no  better  than  the  faith  of 
devils,  for  they  have  faith  so  far  as  it  can 


20  LOVE    THE   SUM    OF    ^'Ui.L  VIRTUE. 


exist  witliout  love,  believing  wliile  tliej  trem- 
ble. Kow  the  true  spiritual  consent  of  the 
heart,  cannot  be  distinguished  from  the  love 
of  the  heart.  He  whose  heart  consents  to 
Christ  as  a  Saviour,  has  true  love  to  him  a8 
such.  For  the  heart  sincerely  to  coiTsent  to 
the  way  of  salvation  by  Christ,  cannot  be  dis- 
tinguished from  loving  that  way  of  salvation, 
and  resting  in  it.  There  is  an  act  of  choice 
or  election  in  true  saving  faith,  whereby  the 
soul  chooses  Christ  for  its  Saviour  and  por- 
tion, and  accepts  of  and  embraces  him  as 
such ;  but,  as  was  observed  before,  an  elec- 
tion or  choice  whereby  it  so  chooses  God  and 
Christ,  is  an  act  of  love — the  love  of  a  soul 
embracing  him  as  its  dearest  friend  and  por- 
tion. Faith  is  a  duty  that  God  requires  of 
every  one.  We  are  commanded  to  believe, 
and  unbelief  is  a  sin  forbidden  by  God.  Faith 
is  a  duty  required  in  the  first  table  of  the  law, 
and  in  the  first  command  of  that  table  ;  and 
therefore  it  will  follow,  that  it  is  comprehend- 
ed in  the  great  commandment,  "Thoushalt 
love  the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart, 
&c.," — and  so  it  will  follow  that  love  is  the 
most  essential  thing  in  a  true  faith.  That 
love  is  the  very  life  and  spirit  of  a  true  faith, 


LOVE    THE    SLTkl    OF    ALL  VIRTUE.  21 


18  especially  evident  from  a  comparison  of 
this  declaration  of  tlie  apostle,  that  "  faith 
works  by  love,'*  and  the  last  verse  of  the  second 
chapter  of  the  epistle  of  James,  which  de- 
clares, that  ••  as  the  body  without  the  spirit  is 
dead,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead  also." 
The  working,  active  and  acting  nature  of  any- 
thing, is  the  life  of  it ;  and  that  which  makes 
us  call  a  thing  alive,  is,  that  we  observe  an 
active  nature  in  it.  This  active,  working 
nature  in  man,  is  the  S23irit  which  he  has 
within  him.  And  as  his  body  without  this 
spirit  is  dead,  so  faith  without  works  is  dead 
also.  And  if  we  would  know  what  the  work- 
ing active  thing  in  true  faith  is,  the  apostle 
tells  us  in  Galatians  v.  6,  ''  Faith  works  by 
love."  So  that  it  is  love  which  is  the  active 
working  spirit  in  all  true  faith.  This  is  its 
very  soul,  without  which  it  is  dead,  as,  in 
another  form,  he  tells  in  the  text,  saying  that 
faith  without  charity  or  love,  is  nothing, 
thouo^h  it  be  to  such  a  deo:ree  that  it  can  re- 
move  mountains.  And  when  he  says,  in  the 
seventh  verse  of  the  context,  that  charity 
"  believeth  all  things  and  hopeth  all  things," 
he  probably  refers  to  the  great  virtues  of 
believing  and  hoping  in  the  truth  and  grace 


22  LOVE  THE    SUM   OF   ALL  VIETTTE. 


of  God,  to  whicli  lie  compares  chanty  in  other 
parts  of  the  chapter,  and  particularly  in  the 
last  verse,  "  Now  abideth  faith,  hope,  charity, 
&c."  For  in  the  seventh  verse  he  gives  the 
preference  to  charity  or  love  before  the  other 
virtues  of  faith  and  hope,  because  it  includes 
them ;  for  he  says,  "  charity  believeth  all 
things  and  hopeth  all  things  ;^'  so  that  this 
seems  to  be  his  meaning,  and  not  merely  as  it 
is  vulgarly  understood,  that  charity  believeth 
and  hopeth  the  best  with  regard  to  our  neigh- 
bors. That  a  justifying  faith,  as  a  most  dis- 
tinguishing mark  of  Christianity,  is  compre- 
hended in  the  great  command  of  loving  God, 
appears  also,  very  plainly,  from  what  Christ 
says  to  the  Jews,  John  v.  40-43,  &c. 

Second^  It  is  further  manifest  from  this 
declaration  of  the  apostle  "  that  faith  works 
by  love,"  that  all  Christian  exercises  of  the 
hearty  and  works  of  the  life  are  from  love  ; 
for  we  are  abundantly  taught  in  the  E'ew  Tes- 
tament, that  all  Christian  holiness  begins  with 
faith  in  Jesus  Christ.  All  christian  obedi- 
ence is  in  the  Scriptures  called  the  obedience 
of  faith ;  as  in  Eomans  xvi.  26,  the  gospel  is 
said  to  be  "  made  known  to  all  nations  for 
the  obedience  of  faith."     The  obedience  here 


LOVE   THE   SUM   OF   ALL  VIKTUE.  2i 


spoken  of,  is  doubtless  the  same  with  that 
spoken  of  in  the  eighteenth  verse  of  the  pie- 
ceding  chapter,  where  Paul  speaks  of  making 
"  the  Gentiles  obedient  by  word  and  deed." 
And  in  Galatians  ii.  20  he  tells  ns,  "  The  life 
which  I  now  live  in  the  flesh,  I  live  by  the 
faith  of  the  Son  of  God,"  &c. ;  and  we  are 
often  told  that  Christians,  so  far  as  they  are 
Christians,  "live  by  faith;"  which  is  equiva- 
lent to  saying  that  all  gracious  and  holy  ex- 
ercises and  virtues  of  the  spiritual  life  are  by 
faith.  But  how  does  faith  work  these  things  ? 
Why,  in  this  place  in  Galatians,  it  is  express- 
ly said,  that  it  works  whatsoever  it  does  work 
hy  love.  From  which  the  truth  of  the  doctrine 
follows,  viz. :  that  all  that  is  saving  and  dis- 
tinguishing in  Christianity  does  radically  con- 
sist, and  is  summarily  comprehended  in  love. 

In  the  application  of  this  subject,  we  may 
use  it  in  the  way  of  self-examination,  instruc- 
tion, and  exhortation.     And 

1.  In  view  of  it  let  its  examine  ourselves^ 
and  see  if  we  have  the  spirit  which  it  enjoins. 
From  love  to  God,  springs  love  to  man,  as 
says  the  apostle,  1  John  v.  1,  "  Whosoever 
belie veth  that  Jesus  is  the  Christ,  is  born  of 
God  :  and  everv  one  that  loveth  him  that  be- 


24  LOVE   THE    SUM    OF    M.L  VIKTUE. 


gat,  lov^etli  liim  also  that  is  begotten  of  liim." 
Ilav^e  we  this  love  to  all  wlio  are  the  children 
of  God  ?  This  love,  also,  leads  those  who 
possess  it,  to  rejoice  in  God,  and  to  worship 
and  magnify  him.  Heaven  is  made  np  of 
snch.  Revelations  xv,  2,  3,  4,  "  And  I  saw 
as  it  were  a  sea  of  glass  mingled  with  lire ; 
and  them  that  had  gotten  the  victory  over 
the  beast,  and  over  his  image,  and  over  his 
mark,  and  over  the  number  of  his  name,  stand 
on  the  sea  of  glass,  having  the  harps  of  God. 
And  they  sing  the  song  of  Moses  the  servant 
of  God,  and  the  song  of  the  Lamb,  saying, 
Great  and  marvellous  are  thy  works,  Lord 
God  Almighty ;  just  and  true  are  thy  ways, 
thou  King  of  saints.  Who  shall  not  fear 
thee,  O  Lord,  and  glorify  thy  name  ?  for  thou 
only  art  holy  :  for  all  nations  shall  come  and 
worship  before  thee;  for  thy  judgments  are 
made  manifest."  Do  we  thus  delight  in  God, 
and  rejoice  in  his  worship,  and  in  magnifying 
his  holy  name  ?  This  love,  also,  leads  those 
who  possess  it,  sincerely  to  desire,  and  ear- 
nestly to  endeavor  to  do  good  to  their  fellow- 
men.  1  John  iii.  16-19,  "  Hereby  perceive 
we  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid  down  his 
life  for  us :  and  we  ought  to  lay  do^Ti  our 


LOVE    TIIE   SUM    OF    ALL  VIRTUE.  25 


lives  for  tlie  brethren.  But  whoso  hath  this 
world's  good,  and  seeth  his  brother  have 
need,  and  shutteth  up  his  bowels  of  compas- 
sion from  him,  how  dwelleth  the  love  of  God 
in  him  ?  Mj  little  children,  let  us  not  love 
in  word,  neither  in  tongue ;  but  in  deed  and 
in  truth.  And  hereby  we  know  that  we  are 
of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure  our  hearts  be- 
fore him."  Is  this  spirit,  which  dwelt  ^n  Je- 
sus Christ,  the  spirit  that  reigns  in  our  hearts, 
and  is  seen  in  our  daily  life  ?  The  subject 
may,  also,  be  of  use, 

2.  In  the  way  of  instruction.  And 
First.  This  doctrine  shows  ns  %oTiat  is  the 
right  Christian  sjpirit.  "When  the  disciples, 
on  their  way  to  Jerusalem,  desired  Christ  to 
call  down  fire  from  heaven  to  consume  the 
Samaritans  who  would  not  receive  him,  he 
told  them,  Luke  ix.  55,  by  way  of  rebuke, 
"  Ye  know  not  what  manner  of  spirit  ye  are 
of ;"  by  which  we  are  to  understand,  not  that 
they  did  not  know  their  own  hearts,  but  that 
they  did  not  know  and  truly  feel  what  kind 
of  spirit  was  proper  and  becoming  to  their 
character  and  sjDirit  as  his  professed  disciples, 
and  becoming  that  evangelical  dispensation 
that  he   had   come  to   establish,  and   under 


26  LOVE   THE   STJTVI   OF   ALL  VrRTTJE. 


wliicli  tliey  were  now  living.  It  might  in- 
deed be,  and  doubtless  was  true,  tliat  in 
many  respects  they  did  not  know  their  own 
hearts.  But  what  Christ  here  referred  to  was, 
not  the  want  of  self-knowledge  in  general, 
but  the  particular  spirit  they  had  manifested 
in  desiring  him  to  call  down  fire  &c.,  a  desire 
which  showed  not  so  much  that  they  did  not 
know  what  their  own  hearts  or  dispositions 
w^ere,  as  that  they  did  not  seem  to  know  w^hat 
kind  of  spirit  and  temper  was  proper  to  the 
Christian  dispensation  that  was  henceforth  to 
be  established,  and  to  the  Christian  character 
of  which  they  were  to  be  examples.  They 
showed  their  ignorance  of  the  true  nature  of 
Christ's  kingdom  ;  that  it  was  to  be  a  king- 
dom of  love  and  peace  ;  and  that  they  did 
not  know  but  that  a  revengeful  spirit  was  a 
proper  S23irit  for  them  as  his  disciples  :  and 
for  this  it  is  that  he  rebukes  them. 

And  doubtless  there  are  many,  now-a-days, 
greatly  to  be  rebuked  for  this,  that  though 
they  have  been  so  long  in  the  school  of  Christ, 
an<l  under  the  teachings  of  the  gospel,  yet 
they  still  remain  under  a  great  misapprehen- 
sion as  to  what  kind  of  a  sj)irit  a  truly  Chris- 
tian spirit  is,  and  what  spirit  is  proper  for  the 


LOVE   THE   SUM   OF   ALL  VIETTJE.  27 


followers  of  Christ  and  tlie  dispensation  nnder 
whicli  tliey  live.  But  if  we  attend  to  the  text 
and  its  doctrine,  they  will  teach  us  what  this 
spirit  is,  viz.  :  that  in  its  very  essence  and 
savor  it  is  the  sj^irit  of  divine  and  Christian 
love.  This  may,  by  way  of  eminence,  be 
called  the  Christian  sj^irit;  for  it  is  much 
more  insisted  on  in  the  New  Testament,  than 
anything  that  concerns  either  our  duty  or  our 
moral  state.  The  words  of  Christ  whereby 
he  taught  men  their  duty,  and  gave  his  coun- 
sels and  commands  to  his  disciples  and  others, 
were  spent  very  much  on  the  precepts  of 
love  ;  and  as  the  words  that  proceeded  out 
of  his  mouth  were,  so  full  of  this  sweet  divine 
virtue,  he  thus  most  manifestly  commends  it 
to  us.  And  after  his  ascension,  the  apostles 
were  full  of  the  same  spirit,  in  their  epistles 
abundantly  recommending  love,  peace,  gentle- 
ness, goodness,  bowels  of  compassion  and 
kindness,  directing  us  by  such  things  to  ex- 
press our  love  to  God  and  to  Christ,  as  well  as 
to  our  fellow-men,  and  especially  to  all  that 
are  his  followers.  This  spirit,  even  a  spirit 
of  love,  is  the  spirit  that  God  holds  forth 
greater  motives  in  the  gospel  to  induce  us  to, 
than  to  any  other  thing  whatever.     The  work 


28  LOYE    THE    SUM    OF    ALL  VIKTITE. 


of  redemption  which  the  gospel  makes  known, 
ahove  all  things  affords  motives  to  love  ;  for 
that  work  wa.s  the  most  glorious  and  wonder- 
ful exliibition  of  love  that  ever  was  seen  or 
heard  of.  Love  is  the  principal  thing  that 
the  gosj)el  dwells  on  when  speaking  of  God, 
and  of  Christ.  It  brings  to  light  the  love 
eternally  existing  between  the  Father  and 
the  Son,  and  declares  how  that  same  love  has 
been  manifested  in  many  things  ;  how  that 
Christ  is  God's  well-bel(>ved  Son,  in  whom  he 
is  ever  well  pleased  ;  how  he  so  loved  him, 
that  he  has  raised  him  to  the  throne  of  the 
mediatorial  kingdom,  and  appointed  him  to 
be  the  judge  of  the  world,  and  ordained  that 
all  mankind  should  stand  before  him  in  judg- 
ment. In  the  gospel,  too,  is  revealed  the  love 
that  Christ  has  to  the  Father,  and  the  wonder- 
ful fruits  of  that  love^  particularly  in  his 
doing  such  great  things,  and  suffering  such 
great  things  in  obedience  to  the  Father's  will, 
and  for  the  honor  of  his  justice,  and  law,  and 
authority,  as  the  great  moral  governor.  There 
it  is  revealed  how  the  Father  and  Son  are  one 
in  iove,  that  we  might  be  induced,  in  the  like 
spirit,  to  be  one  w^th  them,  and  with  ono 
another,  agreeably  to  Christ's  prayer  in  John 


LOVE  THE  SVM   OF    ALL  VIRTUE       29 


xvii.  21-23,  "  That  tliey  all  may  be  one ;  as 
tlion,  Father,  art  in  me,  and  I  in  thee,  that 
they  also  may  be  one  in  lis :  that  the  world 
may  believe  that  thou  hast  sent  me.  And  the 
glory  which  thou  gavest  me  I  have  given 
tliem  ;  that  they  may  be  one,  even  as  we  are 
one :  I  in  them,  and  thou  in  me,  that  they 
may  be  made  perfect  in  one ;  and  that  the 
w^orld  may  know  that  thou  hast  sent  me,  and 
hast  loved  them,  as  thou  hast  loved  me." 
Tlie  gospel  also  declares  to  us  that  the  love 
of  God  was  from  everlasting,  and  reminds  us 
that  he  loved  those  that  are  redeemed  by 
Christ,  before  the  foundation  of  the  world ; 
and  that  he  gave  them  to  the  Son ;  and  that 
the  Son  loved  them  as  his  own.  It  reveals, 
too,  the  wonderful  love  of  both  the  Father 
and  the  Son  to  the  saints  now  in  glory — that 
Christ  not  only  loved  them  while  in  the  world, 
but  that  he  loved  them  to  the  end.  And  all 
this  love  is  spoken  of  as  bestowed  on  us  while 
we  w^ere  wanderers,  outcasts,  worthless,  guilty, 
and  even  enemies.  This  is  love,  such  as  was 
never  elsewhere  known,  or  conceived.  John 
XV.  13,  "  Greater  love  hath  no  man  than  this, 
that  a  man  lay  down  his  life  for  his  friends." 
Romans  v.   7-10,  ''Scarcely  for  a  righteous 


so  LOVE   THE   SLT^I   OF   ALL  VIRTUE. 


man  will  one  die  ^  '^  ^.  But  God  commen 
detli  his  love  towards  us,  in  that  while  we 
were  yet  sinners,  Christ  died  for  us ;  *  *  * 
when  we  w^ere  enemies." 

God  and  Christ  appear  in  the  gosj)el  revela- 
tion, as  being  clothed  with  love ;  as  sitting  as 
it  were  on  a  throne  of  mercj  and  grace,  a  seat 
of  love,  encompassed  about  with  the  sweet 
beams  of  love.  Love  is  the  light  and  glory 
that  is  round  about  the  throne  on  which  God 
is  seated.  This  seems  to  be  intended  in  the 
vision  the  apostle  John,  that  loving  and  loved 
disciple,  had  of  God  in  the  isle  of  Patmos. 
Rev.  iv.  3,  "  And  there  was  a  rainbow  round 
about  the  throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an  emer- 
ald ;"  that  is,  round  about  the  throne  on 
which  God  was  sitting.  So  that  God  appeared 
to  him,  as  he  sat  on  his  throne,  as  encom- 
passed with  a  circle  of  exceeding  sweet  and 
pleasant  light,  like  the  beautiful  colors  of  the 
rainbow,  and  like  an  emerald,  which  is  'i 
precious  stone  of  exceeding  pleasant  and  bea^;- 
tiful  color — thus  representing  that  the  ligno 
and  glory  with  which  God  appears  surrounded 
in  the  gospel,  is  especially  the  glory  of  his 
love  and  covenant  grace,  for  the  rainbow  was 
given  to  ]N"oah   as   a   token   of  both   these. 


LOVE    THE    SUM    OF    ALL   VIRTUE.  dl 

Therefore  it  is  plain,  that  this  spirit,  even  a 
spirit  of  love,  is  the  spirit  that  the  gosp':?] 
revelation  does  especially  hold  forth  motirs^ 
ai:d  inducements  to;  and  this  is  especially 
and  eminently  the  Christian  spirit — the  right 
sjjirit  of  the  gospel. 

Second.  If  it  is  indeed  sq  tliat  all  that  is 
saving  and  distinguishing  in  a  true  Christian, 
is  summarily  comprehended  in  love,  then 
professor's  of  Christianity  inay  in  this  he 
taught  as  to  their  experiences.,  whether  they 
are  real  Christian  experienC'^.s  or  not.  If  they 
are  so,  then  love  is  the  sum  and  substance  of 
them.  If  persons,  have  the  true  light  ol 
heaven  let  into  their  souls,  it  is  not  a  light 
without  heat.  Divine  knowledge  and  Divine 
love,  go  together.  A  S23iritual  view  of  divine 
things,  always  excites  love  in  the  soul,  and 
draws  forth  the  heart  in  love  to  every  j^roper 
object.  True  discoveries  of  the  divine  char- 
acter, dispose  us  to  love  God  as  the  supreme 
good  ;  they  unite  the  heart  in  love  to  Christ ; 
they  incline  the  soul  to  flow  out  in  love  to 
God's  people,  and  to  all  mankind.  When 
persons  have  a  true  discovery  of  the  excel- 
lency and  sufliciency  of  Christ,  this  is  the  ef- 
fect.    When  they  experience  a  right  belief 


82  liOVE    THE   SUM    OF    ALL  VIETUE. 


of  tlio  trutli  of  the  gospel,  such  a  belief  is  ac- 
companied by  love.  They  love  him  whom 
tliey  believe  to  be  the  Christ,  the  Son  of  the 
living  God.  When  the  truth  of  the  glori  jus 
doctrines  and  promises  of  the  gospel  is  seen, 
these  doctrines  and  promises  are  like  so  many 
cords  which  take  hokl  of  the  heart,  and  draw 
it  out  in  love  to  God  and  Christ.  When  per- 
sons experience  a  true  trust  and  reliance  on 
Christ,  they  rely  on  him  with  love,  and  so  do 
it  with  delight  and  sweet  acquiescence  of 
soul.  The  spouse  sat  under  Christ's  shadow 
with  great  delight,  and  rested  sweetly  imder 
his  protection  because  she  loved  him,  Cant, 
ii.  2.  When  persons  experience  true  comfort 
and  spiritual  joy,  their  joy  is  the  joy  of  fait/ 
and  love.  They  do  not  rejoice  in  themselves, 
but  it  is  God  who  is  their  exceeding  joy. 

Third.  This  doctrine  shows  the  amiablenesd 
of  a  Christian  spirit.  A  spirit  of  love  is  an 
amiable  spirit.  It  is  the  spirit  of  Jesus 
Christ ;  it  is  the  spirit  of  heaven. 

Fourth.  This  doctrine  shows  the  pleasant- 
ness  of  a  Christian  life.  A  life  of  love,  is  a 
pleasant  life.  Reason  and  the  Scriptures 
alike  teach  us,  that  "  Happy  is  the  man  that 
findeth  wisdom,"  and  that  "Her  ways  are 


LOYE   THE   SUM   OF   ALL   VIETIJE.  33 


ways  of  pleasantness,  and  all  her  patlis  are 
peace. — Prov.  iii.  13  and  17. 

Fifth.  Hence  we  may  learn  tlie  reason  why 
contention  tends  so  much  to  the  ruin  of  reli- 
gion. The  Scriptures  tell  us  that  it  has  this 
tendency :  "  where  envying  and  strife  is^ 
there  is  confusion  and  every  evil  work." — • 
James  iii.  16.  And  so  we  find  it  by  expe- 
rience. When  contention  comes  into  a  place, 
it  seems  to  prevent  all  good.  And  if  religion 
has  been  flourishing  before,  it  presently  seems 
to  chill  and  deaden  it ;  and  everything  that 
is  bad  begins  to  flourish.  And  in  the  light 
of  our  doctrine,  we  may  plainly  see  the  reason 
of  all  this.  For  contention  is  directly  against 
that  which  is  the  very  sum  of  all  that  is  es- 
sential and  distinguishing  in  true  Christian- 
Hy,  even  a  spirit  of  love  and  peace.  No 
wonder,  therefore,  that  Christianity  cannot 
flourish  in  a  time  of  strife  and  contention 
among  its  professors.  Is"o  wonder  that  reli- 
gion and  contention  cannot  live  together. 

Sixth.  Hence,  then,  what  a  watch  and 
guard  should  Christicms  keep  against  envy^ 
Qjnd  malice.^  and  every  hind  of  hitterness  of 
spirit  towards  their  neighbors.  For  these 
things  are  the  very  reverse  of  the  real  essence 


34  LOVE   THE   SUM   OF    ALL  VIETTJE. 


of  Cliristianitj.  And  it  behooves  Christians, 
as  they  wonld  not,  by  their  practice,  directly 
contradict  their  profession,  to  take  heed  to 
themselves  in  this  matter.  They  should  sup- 
press the  first  beginnings  of  ill-will,  and  bit- 
ternes»s,  and  envy ;  watch  strictly  against  all 
occasions  of  such  a  spirit ;  strive  and  fight  to 
the  utmost  against  such  a  temper  as  tends 
that  way  ;  and  avoid,  as  much  as  possible,  all 
temptations  that  may  lead  to  it.  A  Christian 
should  at  all  times  keep  a  strong  guard 
against  everything  that  tends  to  overthrow, 
or  corrupt,  or  undermine  a  spirit  of  love. 
That  which  hinders  love  to  men,  will  hinder 
the  exercise  of  love  to  God ;  for,  as  was  ob- 
served before,  the  principle  of  a  truly  Chris- 
tian love,  is  one.  If  love  is  the  sum  of  Chris- 
tianity, surely  those  things  which  overthrow 
love,  are  exceedingly  unbecoming  Christians. 
An  envious  Christian,  a  malicious  Christian, 
a  cold  and  hard-hearted  Christian,  is  the 
greatest  absurdity  and  contradiction.  It  is  as 
if  one  should  speak  of  dark  brightness,  or  a 
false  truth  ! 

Seventh.  Hence  it  is  no  wonder  that  Chris- 
tiwnity  so  strongly  requires  us  to  love  our 
eneTnies^  even  the  worst  of  eneinies  (as  in  Mat- 


LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE.      35 


thew  V  44) ;  for  love  is  the  very  temper  and 
spirit  of  a  Christian:  it  is  the  sinn  of  Chris- 
tianity. And  if  we  consider  what  incite- 
ments thus  to  love  our  enemies  we  have  set 
before  us  in  what  the  Gospel  reveals  of  the 
love  of  God  and  Christ  to  their  enemies,  we 
cannot  wonder  that  we  are  required  to  love 
our  enemies,  and  to  bless  them,  and  do  good 
to  them,  and  pray  for  them,  "that  we  maybe 
the  children  of  our  Father  which  is  in  heaven, 
who  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and 
the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the  just  and  on 
the  unjust."     In  the 

3.  Our  subject  exhorts  us  to  seeJc  a  spirit  of 
love  /  to  grow  i7i  it  more  and  more  ;  and  very 
m^icch  to  abound  in  the  worhs  of  love.  If  love 
is  so  great  a  thing  in  Christianity,  so  essen- 
tial and  distinguishing,  yea  the  very  sum  of 
all  Christian  virtue,  then  surely  those  that 
profess  themselves  Christians  should  live  in 
love,  and  abound  in  the  works  of  love,  for  no 
works  are  so  becoming  as  those  of  love.  If 
you  call  yourself  a  Christian,  where  are  yom* 
w^orks  of  love  ?  Have  you  abounded,  and 
do  you  abound  in  them  ?  If  this  divine  and 
holy  principle  is  in  you,  and  reigns  in  you,  will 
it  not  appear  in  your  life,  in  woi'ks  of  love  ? 


36      LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE. 


Consider  what  deeds  of  love  have  yon  done? 
Do  yon  love  God  ?  What  have  you  done  for 
him,  for  his  glory,  for  the  advancement  of  his 
kingdom  in  the  world  ?  And  how  nmch  have 
you  denied  yourself  to  promote  the  Redeem- 
er's interest  among  men  ?  Do  you  love  your 
fellow-men  ?  What  have  you  done  for  them  ? 
Consider  your  former  defects  in  these  re- 
spects, and  how  becoming  it  is  in  you  as  a 
Christian,  hereafter  to  abound  more  in  deeds 
of  love.  Do  not  make  excuse  that  you  have 
not  opportunities  to  do  anything  for  the  glory 
of  God,  for  the  interest  of  the  Redeemer's 
kingdom,  and  for  the  spiritual  benefit  of  your 
neighbors.  If  your  heart  is  full  of  love,  it  will 
find  vent ;  you  will  find  or  make  ways  enough 
to  express  your  love  in  deeds.  When  a  foun- 
tain abounds  in  water,  it  will  send  forth 
streams.  Consider  that  as  a  principle  of  love 
is  the  main  principle  in  the  heart  of  a  real 
Christian,  so  the  labor  of  love,  is  the  main 
business  of  the  Christian  life.  Let-,  every 
Christian  consider  these  things  ;  and  may  the 
Lord  give  you  understanding  in  all  things, 
and  make  you  sensible  what  spirit  it  becomes 
you  to  be  of,  and  dispose  you  to  such  an  ex- 


LOVE  THE  SUM  OF  ALL  VIRTUE.    37 


cellent,  amiable,  and  benevolent  life,  as  is 
answerable  to  such  a  spirit,  that  you  may  not 
love  only  "  in  word  and  tongue,  but  in  deed 
and  in  truth/^ 


LECTURE  II. 


CHAKITY  MORE  EXCELLENT  THAN  THE  EXTRA- 
ORDINARY GIFTS  OF  THE  SPIRIT. 

"  Though  I  speak  with  the  tongues  of  men  and  of  angels, 
and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become  as  sounding  brass,  or  a 
tinkling  cymbal.  And  though  I  have  the  gift  of  prophecy, 
and  understand  all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge ;  and 
though  I  have  all  faith,  so  that  I  could  remove  mountains, 
and  have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing." — 1  Cor.  xiii.  1,  2. 

Having  in  the  last  lecture  shown,  that  all 
the  virtue  in  the  saints  which  is  distinguish- 
ing and  saving,  may  be  summed  up  in  Chris- 
tian love,  I  would  now  consider  what  things 
are  compared  with  it  in  the  text,  and  to  which 
of  the  two  the  preference  is  given. 

The  things  compared  together,  in  the  text, 
are  of  two  kinds  :  on  the  one  hand,  the  extra- 
ordinary and  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit, 
such  as  the  gift  of  tongues,  the  gift  of  pro- 
phecy, &c.,  which  were  frequent  in  that  age, 
and  particularly  in  the  church  at  Corinth, 
38 


CHARI'i  1     MORE    EXCELLENT,    ETC  39 


and  on  the  other  hand,  the  effect  of  the  ordi- 
nary influences  of  the  same  Spirit,  in  true 
Christians,  viz.  charity,  or  divine  love. 

Tliat  was  an  ao-e  of  miracles.  It  was  not 
tlien,  as  it  had  been  of  old  among  the  Jews, 
when  two  or  three,  or  at  most  a  very  few  in 
the  whole  nation  had  the  gift  of  prophecy  : 
it  rather  seemed  as  if  Moses'  wish,  recorded  in 
Num.  xi.  29,  had  become  in  a  great  measnre 
fulfilled  :  ''  Would  God  that  all  the  Lord's  peo- 
ple were  prophets.'^  Not  only  some  certaiu  per- 
sons of  great  eminence  were  endowed  with  such 
gifts,  but  they  were  common  to  all  sorts,  old  and 
young,  men  and  women  ;  according  to  the  proph- 
ecy of  the  prophet  Joel,  who,  speaking  of  those 
days,  foretold  beforehand  that  great  event : 
"And  it  shall  come  to  pass  in  the  last  days 
(saith  God),  I  will  pour  out  of  my  Spirit  upon 
all  flesh  :  and  your  sons  and  your  daughters 
shall  prophesy,  and  your  young  men  shall  see 
visions,  and  your  old  men  shall  dream  dreams : 
and  on  my  servants,  and  on  my  handmaidens 
I  will  pour  ont,  in  those  days,  of  my  Spirit,  and 
Ihey  shall  prophesy."  Especially  the  church 
of  (Corinth  was  very  eminent  fVjr  such  gifta. 
All  sort^  of  miraculous  gifts  were,  as  is  appa- 
rent   from    this   Epistle,    bestc)wed    on    that 


4:0  CHARITY   MOKE    EXCELLENT 


cLurch,  and  tlie  number  wlio  enjoyed  these 
gifts  was  not  small.  "  To  one,"  says  the 
Apostle,  "  is  given  by  the  Spirit,  the  word  of 
wisdom  :  to  another  the  word  of  knowledge  by 
the  same  Spirit :  to  another  faith  by  the  same 
Spirit :  to  another  the  gifts  of  healing  by  the 
same  Spirit:  to  another  tlie  working  of  mira- 
cles :  to  another  prophecy,  &c."  "  But  all  these 
Avorketh  that  one,  and  the  self-same  Spirit, 
dividing  to  every  man  severally  as  he  will." 
And  so  some  had  one  gift,  and  some  another. 
"  But,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  covet  earnestly 
the  best  gifts  ;  and  yet  show  I  unto  jou  a  more 
excellent  way,"  i.  e.,  something  more  excellent 
than  all  these  gifts  put  together,  yea,  something 
of  so  great  importance,  that  all  these  gifts 
without  it  are  nothing.  For  "  though  I  speak 
with  the  tongues  of  men,"  as  tliay  did  on  the 
day  of  Pentecost,  yea,  ^'  and  of  angels"  too, 
"and  have  not  charity,  I  am  become"  an 
empty  worthless  thing,  ''  as  sounding  brass,  or 
fi  tinkling  cymbal.  And  though  I  have"  not 
only  one,  but  all  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the 
Spirit ;  and  can  not  only  speak  with  tongues, 
but  "  have  the  gift  of  all  prophecy,  and  under- 
stand all  mysteries,  and  all  knowledge,"  to  see 
*nto  al^  the  deep  things  of  G  xl  by  immediate 


THAN    THE    GIFTS    OF    THE    SPIRIT.  41 


inspiration ;  "  and  though  I  have  all  faith," 
to  work  all  sorts  of  miracles,  yea,  even  "  so 
that  I  could  remove  mountains,  and  have  not 
charity,  I  am  nothing."  Charity,  tlien,  which 
is  the  fruit  of  the  ordinary  sanctifying  influ- 
ence of  the  Holy  Spirit,  is  preferred,  as  being 
more  excellent  than  any,  yea,  than  all  the 
extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  even  Chris- 
tian love,  which,  as  has  been  shown,  is  the 
sum  of  all  saving  grace.  Yea,  so  very  much 
is  it  preferred,  that  all  the  extraordinary  gifts 
of  the  Spirit,  without  it,  are  nothing,  and  can 
profit  nothing.  The  doctrine  taught, then,  is: 
That  the  ordinary  influence  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  working  the  grace  of  charity  in  the 
heart,  is  a  more  excellent  blessing  than  any 
of  the  extraordinary  gifis  of  the  Spirit. 
Here  I  would  endeavor  to  show,  first,  what  is 
meant  by  the  ordinary  and  extraordinary  gifts 
of  the  Spirit ;  secondly,  that  the  extraordinary 
gilts  of  the  Spirit  are  indeed  great  privileges  ; 
and  yet,  thirdly,  that  the  ordinary  influence 
of  the  Spirit  working  the  grace  of  charity  or 
love  in  the  heart  is  a  more  excellent  blessing. 
I.  1  would  hrh'fly  exjjlain  what  is  ntcant  hj 
the  ordinary  and  extraordinary  gifts  of  the 
Spirit  I  for  the  gifts  and  operations  of  the 


4:2  CHARITY   MOEE   EXCELLENT 


Spirit  of  God  are  by  divines  distingnislied  into 
common  and  saving^  and  into  ordincwy  and 
extraordinary. 

1.  The  gifts  and  operations  of  the  Spirit  of 
God  are  distinguished  into  those  that  are 
C07nvi07i^  and  those  that  are  saving.  By  com- 
n](>n  gifts  of  the  Spirit  are  meant,  such  as  are 
common  both  to  the  godly  and  to  the  ungodly. 
There  are  certain  ways  in  which  the  Spirit  of 
God  influences  the  minds  of  natural  men,  as 
well  as  the  minds  of  the  godly.  Thus  there 
are  common  convictions  of  sin,  i.  e.^  such  con- 
victions as  ungodly  men  may  have  as  well  as 
godly.  So  there  are  common  illuminations, 
or  enlightenings,  i.  e.^  such  as  are  common  to 
both  godly  and  ungodly.  So  there  are  com- 
mon religious  affections, — common  gratitude, 
— common  sorrow,  and  the  like.  But  there 
are  other  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  which  are  pecu- 
liar to  the  godly,  such  as  saving  faith  and 
love,  and  all  the  other  saving  graces  of  the 
Spirit. 

2.  Ordinary  and  extraordinary. — The  ex- 
traordinary gifts  of  the  Spirit,  such  as  the  gift 
of  tongues,  of  miracles,  of  prophecy,  &c.,  are 
called  extraordinary,  because  they  are  snch 
as  are  not  given  in  the  ordinary  course  of 


THAN   THE    GIFTS    OF    THE    SPIRIT.  43 


God's  providence.  They  are  not  bestowed  in 
tlie  way  of  God's  ordinary  providential  deal- 
ing with  his  children,  but  only  on  extraordi- 
nary occasions,  as  they  were  bestowed  on  the 
Prophets  and  Apostles  to  enable  them  to  reveal 
the  mind  and  will  of  God  before  the  canon  of 
Scripture  was  complete,  and  so  on  the  primi- 
tive church,  in  order  to  the  founding  and 
establishing  of  it  in  the  world.  But  since 
the  canon  of  Scripture  has  been  completed, 
and  the  Christian  church  fully  founded  and 
established,  these  extraordinary  gifts  have 
ceased.  But  the  ordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit, 
are  such  as  are  continued  to  the  church  of 
God  throughout  all  ages ;  such  gifts  as  are 
granted  in  conviction  and  conversion,  and 
such  as  appertain  to  the  building  uj)  of  the 
saints  in  holiness  and  comfort. 

It  may  be  observed  then  that  the  distinction 
of  the  gifts  of  the  Spirit  into  ordinary  and  ex- 
traordinary, is  very  difterent  from  the  other 
distinction  into  common  and  special ;  for  some 
of  the  ordinary  gifts,  such  as  faith,  hope, 
charity,  are  not  common  gifts.  They  are 
such  gifts  as  God  ordinarily  bestows  on  liis 
church  in  all  ages,  but  they  are  not  common 
to  the  godly  and  the  ungodly  ;  they  are  pecu- 


44         CHARITY  MOEE  EXCELLENT 


liar  to  the  godly.  And  the  extraordinary  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  are  common  gifts.  The  gifts  of 
tongues,  of  miracles,  of  prophecy,  &c.,  al- 
though they  are  not  ordinarily  bestowed  on 
tlje  Christian  church,  but  only  on  extraordi- 
nary occasions,  yet  are  not  peculiar  to  the 
godly,  for  many  ungodly  men  haA^e  had 
these  gifts.  Matt.  vii.  22,  23:  ''Many  will 
say  to  me  in  that  day,  Lord,  Lord,  have  we 
not  prophesied  in  thy  name  ?  and  in  thy  name 
have  cast  out  devils?  and  in  thy  name  done 
many  wonderful  works?  and  then  will  I  pro- 
fess unto  them,  I  never  knew  you  :  depart  from 
me,  ye  that  work  iniquity.'^  Having  explained 
these  terms,  I  proceed  to  show, 

II.  That  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
of  God  are  indeed  great  po'lvileges. — When 
God  endows  any  one  with  a  spirit  of  pro- 
phecy, favors  him  with  immediate  inspiration, 
or  gives  him  power  to  work  miracles,  to  heal 
the  sick,  to  cast  out  devils,  and  the  like,  the 
privilege  is  great,  yea,  this  is  one  of  the -high* 
est  kind  of  privileges  that  God  ever  bestows  on 
men,  next  to  saving  grace.  It  is  a  great  privi- 
xCge  to  live  in  the  enjoyment  of  the  outward 
means  of  grace,  and  to  belong  to  the  visible 
church  ;  but  to  be  a  prophet  and  a  worker  of 


THAI?-   THE   GIFTS   OF   THE   SPIRIT.  45 


miracles  in  tlie  cliurcli,  is  a  much  greatei 
privilege  still.  It  is  a  great  privilege  to  hear 
the  word,  which  has  been  spoken  by  prophets 
and  inspired  persons  ;  but  a  much  greater  to 
be  a  prophet,  to  preach  the  word,  to  be  in 
spired  by  God  to  make  known  his  mind  and 
will  to  others.  It  was  a  great  privilege  that 
God  bestowed  on  Moses,  when  he  called  him 
to  be  a  prophet,  and  improved  him  as  an  in- 
strument to  reveal  the  law  to  the  children  of 
Israel,  and  to  deliver  to  the  church  so  great  a 
part  of  the  written  word  of  God,  even  the  first 
written  revelation  that  ever  was  delivered  to 
it ;  and  w^hen  he  used  him  as  an  instrument 
of  working  so  many  wonders  in  Egypt,  at  the 
Hed  Sea,  ahd  in  the  wilderness.  Great  was 
the  privilege  that  God  bestowed  on  David,  in 
inspiring  him,  and  making  him  the  penman 
of  so  great  and  excellent  a  part  of  his  word, 
for  the  use  of  the  church  in  all  ages.  Great 
was  the  privilege  that  God  bestowed  on  those 
two  prophets,  Elijah  and  Elisha,  in  enabling 
them  to  perform  such  miraculous  and  wonder- 
ful works.  And  the  privilege  was  very  great, 
that  God  bestowed  on  the  prophet  Daniel,  in 
giving  him  so  much  of  the  extraordinary  gifts 
of  the  Spirit,  particularly  such  understanding 


i\y  CHAKITY   MORE   EXCELLENT 


in  the  visions  of  God.  This  procured  him 
great  honor  among  the  heathen,  and  even  in 
the  court  of  the  King  of  Babylon.  ]^ebuchad- 
nezzar,  that  great  and  mighty  and  haughty 
monarch,  so  admired  Daniel  for  it,  that  he 
was  once  about  to  worship  him  as  a  god.  He 
fell  upon  his  face  before  him,  and  commanded 
that  an  oblation  and  sweet  odors  should  be 
offered  unto  him,  Dan.  ii.  46.  And  Daniel 
was  advanced  to  greater  honor  than  all  the 
wise  men,  the  magicians,  astrologers,  and 
soothsayers  of  Babylon,  in  consequence  of 
these  extraordinary  gifts  which  God  bestowed 
upon  him.  Hear  how  the  Queen  speaks  of 
him  to  Belshazzar,  Dan.  v.  11,12:  "There 
is  a  man  in  thy  kingdom,  in  whom  is  the  spirit 
of  the  holy  gods  :  and  in  the  days  of  thy 
father,  light  and  understanding  and  wisdom, 
like  the  wisdom  of  the  Gods,  was  found  in 
him  ;  whom  the  King  E"ebuchadnezzar  tliy 
father,  the  king,  I  say,  thy  father,  made 
master  of  the  magicians,  astrologers^-  Chal- 
deans, and  soothsayers  ;  for  as  much  as  an 
excellent  spirit,  and  knowledge,  and  under- 
stand Ing,  interpreting  dreams,  and  showing 
of  hard  sentences,  and  dissolving  of  doubts, 
were  found  in  the  same  Daniel."     This  privi- 


THAN   THE    GIFTS    OF    THE   SPIRIT.  47 


lege  was  albo  the  thing  which  gave  Daniel 
honor  in  the  Persian  court.  (Dan.  vi.  1,  2,  3.) 
"  It  pleased  Darius  to  set  over  the  kingdom 
an  hundred  and  twenty  princes,  which  should 
he  over  the  whole  kingdom,  and  over  these, 
tliree  presidents,  of  whom  Daniel  was  first, 
that  the  princes  might  give  accounts  unto 
tlieni,  and  the  king  should  have  no  damage. 
Then  this  Daniel  was  preferred  above  the 
presidents  and  princes,  because  an  excellent 
spirit  was  in  him  ;  and  the  king  thought  to 
set  him  over  the  whole  realm."  By  this  ex- 
cellent spirit  was  doubtless  among  other 
things  meant  the  spirit  of  j^rophecy  and 
divine  inspiration,  for  which  he  had  been  so 
honored  by  the  j)rinces  of  Babylon. 

It  was  a  great  privilege  that  Christ  be- 
stow^ed  on  the  Apostles,  in  so  filling  them 
wdth  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Spirit,  inspiring  them  to  teach  all  na- 
tions, and  making  them  as  it  were  next 
to  himself,  and  to  be  the  twelve  precious 
stones,  that  are  considered  as  the  twelve 
foundations  of  the  church.  Kev.  xxi.  14 : 
"  And  the  wall  of  tlie  city  had  twelve  foun- 
dations, and  in  them  the  names  of  the  twelvo 
Apostles  of  the  Lamb."    Eph.  ii.  20  :  "  Bv.ilt 


iS         CHAEITT  MORE  EXCELLENT 


upon  the  foundation  of  the  Apostles  and 
Prophets,  Jesus  Christ  himself  being  the  chief 
corner-stone."  And  how  highly  was  the 
Apostle  John  favored,  when  he  was  "  in  the 
Spirit  on  the  Lord's  day,"  and  had  such  ex- 
traordinary visions,  representing  the  great 
events  of  God's  providence  towards  the 
church  in  all  ages  of  it  to  the  end  of  the 
world. 

Such  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit  are 
spoken  of  in  Scriptures  as  very  great  privi- 
leges. So  was  the  privilege  that  God  be- 
stowed on  Moses  in  speaking  to  him  by  way 
of  extraordinary  miraculous  revelation,  as  it 
were,  "  face  to  face."  And  that  ontpouring 
of  the  Spirit  in  his  extraordinary  gifts  which 
on  the  day  of  Pentecost  was  foretold  and 
spoken  of  by  the  prophet  Joel,  as  a  very 
great  privilege,  in  those  forecited  words  in 
Joel  ii.  28,  29.  And  Christ  speaks  of  the 
gifts  of  miracles,  and  of  tongues,  as  great 
privileges  that  he  would  bestow  on  them,  that 
should  believe  in  him  :  Matt.  xvi.  17,  18. 

Such  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit  have 
been  looked  upon  as  a  great  honor.  Moses 
and  Aaron  were  envied  in  the  camp  because 
of  the  peculiar  honor  that  God  put  upou  them, 


THAN"  THE   GIFTS   OF   THE   SPIEIT.  49 


Psal.  cvi.  16.  And  so  Joshua  was  ready  to 
envy  Eldad  and  Medad  because  tliey  pro- 
phesied in  the  camp :  Kum.  xi.  27.  And 
when  the  angels  themselves  have  been  sent 
to  do  the  work  of  the  prophets,  to  reveal 
things  to  come,  it  has  set  them  in  a  very 
honorable  point  of  light.  Even  the  Apostle 
John  himself,  in  his  great  surprise,  was  once 
and  again  ready  to  fall  down  and  worship  the 
angel,  that  was  sent  by  Christ  to  reveal  to 
him  the  future  events  of  the  church  ;  but  the 
angel  forbids  him,  acknowledging  that  the 
privilege  of  the  spirit  of  prophecy  which  he 
had,  was  not  of  himself,  but  that  he  had  re- 
ceived it  of  Jesus  Christ :  Rev.  xix.  10,  and 
xxii.  8,  9.  The  heathen  of  the  city  of  Lystra 
were  so  astonished  at  the  power  the  Apostles 
Barnabas  and  Paul  had  to  work  miracles, 
that  they  were  about  to  offer  sacrifices  to 
tiiern  as  gods :  Acts  xiv.  11,  12,  13.  And 
Simon  the  sorcerer  had  a  great  hankering 
after  that  gift  that  the  Apostles  liad  of  con- 
ferring the  Holy  Ghost,  by  laying  on  their 
hands,  and  offered  them  money  for  it. 

These  extraordinary  gifts  are  a  great  privd- 
lege,  in  that  there  is  in  them  a  conformity  to 
Christ  in   his   prophetical  office.      And   tlie 


50        CHARITY  MOKE  EXCELLENT 


greatness  of  the  privilege  appears  also  in 
this,  that  though  sometimes  they  have  been 
bestowed  on  natural  men,  yet  it  has  been 
very  rarely  ;  and  commonly  such  as  have  had 
them  bestowed  on  them  have  been  saints, 
yea,  and  the  most  eminent  saints.  Thus  it 
Vv^as  on  the  -day  of  Pentecost ;  and  thus  it 
was  in  more  early  ages.  II.  Pet.  i.  21:  "  Holy 
men  of  God  spake  as  they  were  moved  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  These  gifts  iiave  commonly 
been  bestowed  as  tokens  of  God's  extraordi- 
nary favor  and  love,  as  it  was  with  Daniel. 
He  was  a  man  greatly  heloved^  and  therefore  he 
was  admitted  to  such  a  great  privilege,  as  that 
of  havino:  these  revelations  made  to  him :  Dan. 
ix.  23,  and  x.  11, 19.  And  the  Apostle  John,  as 
he  was  the  disciple  whom  Jesus  loved,  so  ho 
was  selected  above  all  the  other  Apostles, 
to  be  the  man  to  whom  those  great  events 
were  revealed  that  we  have  an  account  of  in 
the  book  of  the  Revelation.     I  come  now, 

III.  To  show,  that  though  these  are  gi^eat 
privileges,  yet  that  the  ordinary  influence  of 
the  Sjjirit  of  God,  icorhing  the  grace  of  char  ity 
in  the  heart,  is  afar  more  excellent  privilege 
than  any  of  them :  a  greater  blessing  than 
the  spirit  of  prophecy,  or  the  gift  of  tongues, 


TH^^J^"    THE    GIFTS    OF    THF    SPmiT.  51 


or  of  miracles,  even  to  the  removing  of  moun- 
tains ;  a  greater  blessing  than  all  tho^c  miracu- 
lous gifts  that  Moses,  and  Elijah,  and  David, 
and  the  twelve  Apostles  were  endowed  with. 
This  will  appear,  if  we  consider, 

1.  TMs  hlessing  of  the  saving  grace  of  God 
is  a  quality  inherent  in  the  nature  of  him  that 
is  the  siihject  of  it. — ^This  gift  of  the  Spirit  of 
God,  working  a  truly  Christian  temper  in  the 
soul,  and  exciting  gracious  exercises  there, 
confers  a  blessing  that  has  its  seat  in  the  heart, 
a  blessing  that  makes  a  man's  heart  or  nature 
excellent ;  yea,  the  very  excellency  of  the  na- 
ture does  consist  in  it.  Now  it  is  not  so  with 
respect  to  these  extraordinary  gifts  of  the 
Spirit.  They  are  excellent  things,  but  not 
properly  the  excellency  of  a  man's  nature,  for 
they  are  not  things  that  are  inherent  in  the 
nature.  For  instance,  if  a  man  is  endowed 
with  a  gift  of  working  miracles,  this  power  is 
not  anything  inherent  in  his  nature.  It  is  not 
properly  any  quality  of  the  heart  and  nature 
of  the  man,  as  true  grace  and  holiness  are ; 
and  though  most  commonly,  those  that  have 
these  extraordinary  gifts  of  projDliecy,  speak- 
ing with  tongues  and  working  miracles,  have 
been  holy  persons,  yet  their  holiness  did  not 


62        CHARITY  MORE  EXCELLENT 


consist  in  their  having  these  gifts.  These 
extraordinar}  gifts  are  nothing  properly  in- 
herent in  the  man.  They  are  something 
adventitious.  They  are  excellent  things,  but 
not  excellences  in  the  nature  of  the  subject. 
They  are  like  a  beautiful  garment,  which  does 
not  alter  the  nature  of  the  man  that  wears  it. 
They  are  like  precious  jewels,  wdth  which  the 
body  may  be  adorned  ;  but  true  grace  is  that 
whereby  the  very  soul  itself  becomes  as  it 
were  a  precious  jewel. 

2.  The  Sj)irit  of  God  communicates  himself 
inucJh  m>ore  in  hestowing  saving  grace  than  in 
hestoivmg  these  extraordinary  gifts. — In  the  ex 
traordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  the  Holy  Ghost 
does  indeed  produce  effects,  in  men,  or  by 
men ;  but  not  so  as  properly  to  communicate 
himself,  in  his  own  proper  nature,  to  men.  A 
man  may  have  an  extraordinary  impulse  in 
his  mind  by  the  Spirit  of  God,  whereby  some 
future  thing  may  be  revealed  to  him ;  or  he 
may  have  an  extraordinary  vision  given  him 
representing  some  future  event ;  and  yet  the 
Spirit  may  not  at  all  impart  himself,  in  his 
holy  nature,  by  that.  The  Spirit  oi*  God  may 
produce  effects  in  things  in  which  he  does  not 
communicate  himself  ti    us.     Thus  the  Spirit 


THAN    TTTE    GIFTS    OF    THE    SPIRIT.  5S 


of  God  moved  on  the  face  of  tlie  waters, 
but  not  so  as  to  impart  liimself  to  the 
water.  But  when  the  Spirit,  "by  his  ordinary 
iiifluences,  bestows  saving  grace,  he  therein 
imparts  himself  to  the  soul  in  his  own  holy 
nature, — that  nature  of  his,  on  the  account  of 
which,  he  is  so  often  called  in  Scripture,  the 
Holy  Ghost,  or  the  Holy  Spirit.  By  his  pro- 
ducing this  effect,  the  Spirit  becomes  an  in- 
dwelling vital  principle  in  the  soul,  and  the 
subject  becomes  spiritual,  being  denominated 
so  from  the  Spirit  of  God  that  dwells  in  him, 
and  whose  nature  he  is  partaker  of.  Yea, 
grace  is,  as  it  were,  the  holy  nature  of  the 
Spirit  imparted  to  the  soul.  But  the  extraor- 
dinary gifts  of  the  Spirit,  such  as  knowing 
things  to  come,  or  having  power  to  work  mira- 
cles, do  not  imply  this  holy  nature.  Not  but 
that  God,  when  he  gives  the  extraordinary 
gifts  of  the  Spirit,  is  commonly  wont  to  give 
the  sanctifying  influences  of  the  Spirit  with 
them ;  but  one  does  not  imply  the  other.  And 
if  God  gives  only  extraordinary  gifts,  such  as 
the  gift  of  prophecy,  of  miracles,  &c.,  these 
alone  will  never  make  their  receiver  a  par- 
taker of  the  Spirit,  so  as  to  become  spiritual 
In  himself,  i.  e.,  in  his  Own  nature. 


54  CHARITY   MORE   EXCELLENT 


3.  That  grace  or  holiness^  which  is  the  effect 
of  the  ordinary  influence  of  the  S_pirit  of  God 
in  the  heoMs  of  the  saints^  is  that  wherein  the 
spiritual  ima^ge  of  God  consists  /  and_  not  in 
these  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit. — The 
spiritual  image  of  God  does  not  consist  in 
having  a  power  to  work  miracles,  and  foretell 
future  events^  but  it  consists  in  being  holy  as 
God  is  holy:  in  having  a  holy  and  divine 
principle  in  the  heart,  influencing  us  to  holy 
and  heavenly  lives.  Indeed,  there  is  a  kind 
of  assimilation  to  Christ  in  having  a  power  to 
work  miracles,  for  Christ  had  such  a  power, 
and  wrought  a  multitude  of  miracles,  John 
xiv.  12 :  "  The  works  that  I  do,  shall  he  do 
also."  But  the  moral  image  and  likeness  of 
Christ  does  much  more  consist  in  having  the 
same  -mind  in  us  which  was  in  Christ :  in 
being  of  the  same  Spirit  that  he  was  of ;  in 
being  meek  and  lowly  of  heart ;  in  having  a 
spirit  of  Christian  love,  and  walking  as  Christ 
walked.  This  makes  a  man  more  like  Christ 
than  if  he  could  work  ever  so  many  miracles. 

4.  That  gra<ie  which  is  the  effect  of  the  ordi- 
nary influences  of  the  Spirit  of  God.,  is  a 
privilege  which  God  'bestows  only  on  his  own 
favorites  and  children^  but  the  extraordinary 


THAN    THE    GIFTS    OF    THE    SPIRIT.  53 


gifts  of  the  Sjnrit  are  not  so. — It  has  been  ob- 
served before,  that  though  God  most  com- 
monly has  chosen  sahits  and  eminent  saints 
to  bestow  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
upon,  yet  he  has  not  always  done  so ;  but 
these  gifts  are  sometimes  bestowed  on  others. 
They  have  been  common  to  both  the  godly  and 
the  ungodly.  Balaam  is  stigmatized  in  Scrip- 
ture as  a  wicked  man,  2  Pet.  ii.  15  ;  Jude  11 ; 
Rev.  ii.  14;  and  yet  he  had  the  extraordinary 
gifts  of  the  Spirit  of  God  for  awhile.  Saul 
was  a  wicked  man,  but  we  read,  once  and 
again,  of  his  being  among  the  prophets. 
Judas  was  one  of  those  whom  Christ  sent 
forth  to  preach  and  work  miracles  :  he  was 
one  of  those  twelve  disciples,  of  whom  it  is 
said  in  Matt.  x.  1 :  "  And  when  he  had  called 
unto  him  his  twelve  disciples,  he  gave  them 
power  against  unclean  spirits  to  cast  them  out, 
and  to  heal  all  manner  of  sickness,  and  all 
manner  of  disease."  And  in  the  next  verses 
we  are  told  who  they  were,  their  names  are 
all  rehearsed  over,  and  "  Jadas  Iscariot,  who 
also  betrayed  him,"  among  the  rest.  And  in 
verse  8,  Christ  says  to  them,  "  Ileal  the  sick, 
cleanse  the  lepers,  raise  the  dead,  cast  out 
devils."     The  grace  of  God  in  the  heart,  is  a 


56  chIrity  more  excellent 


gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost  peculiar  to  the  saints. 
It  is  a  blessing  that  God  reserves  only  for 
those  who  are  the  objects  of  his  special  and 
peculiar  love.  But  the  extraordinary  gifts  of 
the  Spirit  are  what  God  sometimes  bestows  on 
those  whom  he  does  not  love,  but  hates  ;  w^liich 
is  a  sure  sign  that  the  one  is  infinitely  more 
precious  and  excellent  than  the  other.  That  is 
the  most  precious  gift,  which  is  most  of  an 
evidence  of  God's  love.  But  the  extraordi- 
nary gifts  of  the  Spirit  were,  in  the  days  of 
inspiration  and  miracles,  no  sure  sign  of  the 
love  of  God.  The  prophets  were  not  wont  to 
build  their  persuasion  of  the  favor  and  love 
of  God  on  their  being  prophets,  and  having 
revelations  ;  but  on  their  being  sincere  saint^s. 
Thus,  it  was  with  David.  See  Psal.  xv.  1-5, 
and  xvii.  1-3,  and  cxix.  throughout :  and  in- 
deed, the  whole  Book  of  Psalms  bears  witness 
to  this.  So  the  Apostle  Paul,  though  he  was 
so  greatly  privileged  with  the  extraordinary 
gifts  of  the  Spirit,  was  yet  so  far  from  making 
tliese  the  evidences  of  his  good  estate,  that  he 
expressly  declares,  that  without  charity  they 
are  all  nothing.     And  hence  we  may  argue, 

5.  From  the  fruit  and.  consequence  of  these 
two  different  tJi  ings^  that  the  one  is  infinitely 


THAN   THE    GIFTS    OF   THE   SPIRIT.  57 


more  excellent  than  the  other. — Eternal  life 
is,  by  the  promises  of  the  gospel,  constantly 
connected  with  the  one,  and  nev^er  with  the 
other.  Salvation  is  promised  to  those  w^xO 
have  the  graces  of  the  Spirit,  bnt  not  to  tliose 
who  have  merely  the  extraordinary  gifts 
Many  may  have  these  last,  and  yet  go  to  hell. 
Judas  Iscariot  had  them,  and  is  gone  to  hell. 
And  Christ  tells  us,  that  many  who  have  had 
them,  will,  at  the  last  day,  be  bid  to  depart, 
as  workers  of  iniquity,  Matt.vii.  22,  23.  And 
therefore  when  he  promised  his  disciples  these 
extraordinary  gifts,  he  bade  them  rejoice,  not 
because  the  devils  were  subject  to  them,  but 
because  their  names  were  written  in  heaven, 
intimating  that  the  one  might  he,  and  yet  not 
the  other,  Luke  x.  17,  &c.  And  this  shows  that 
the  one  is  an  infinitely  greater  blessing  than 
the  other,  as  it  carries  eternal  life  in  it.  For 
eternal  life  is  a  thinu:  of  infinite  worth  and 
value,  and  that  must  be  an  excellent  blessing 
indeed  that  has  this  infallibly  connected  with 
it,  and  of  infinitely  more  worth  than  any  23rivi- 
lege.  whatsoever,  which  a  man  may  possess, 
and  yet  after  all  go  to  hell. 

6.  Happiness  itself  does  much  more  Imme- 
diately and  essentially  consist  in  Christian 


5S  CHAEITY  MORE  EXCELLENT 


grace^  wrought  hy  the  ordinary  influences  of 
the  Sj.drit^  than  in  these  extraordinary  gifts. 
Man's  highest  happiness  consists  in  holiness, 
for  it  is  by  this  that  the  reasonable  creature  is 
united  to  God,  the  fountain  of  all  good.  Hap- 
piness doth  so  essentially  consist  in  knowing, 
loving,  and  serving  God,  and  having  the  holy 
and  divine  temper  of  soul,  and  the  lively 
exercises  of  it,  that  these  things  will  make  a 
man  happy  without  anything  else  ;  but  no 
other  enjoyments  or  privileges  whatsoever  will 
make  a  man  happy  without  this. 

7.  This  divine  temper  of  soul^  which  is  the 
fruit  of  the  ordinary  sanctifying  influences  of 
the  Spirit,  is  the  end  of  all  the  extraordinary 
gfts  of  the  Holy  Ghost. — The  gift  of  pro- 
phecy, of  miracles,  of  tongues,  &c.,  God  gave 
for  this  very  end,  to  promote  the  propagation 
and  establishment  of  the  gospel  in  the  w^orld. 
And  the  end  of  the  gospel  is,  to  turn  men  from 
darkness  to  light,  and  from  the  power  of  sin 
and  Satan  to  serve  the  living  God,  i.  ^.,'to  make 
men  holy.  The  end  of  all  the  extraordinary 
^ifts  of  the  Spirit,  is  the  conversion  of  sinners, 
and  the  building  up  of  saints  in  that  holiness 
which  is  the  fruit  of  the  ordinary  influences 
of  the  Holy  Ghost.     For  this,  the  Holy  Spirit 


THAN   THE    GIFTS    OF    THE    SPIRIT.  59 


was  poured  out  on  the  Apostles  after  Christ's 
itsceiision  ;  and  they  were  enabled  to  speak 
with  tongues,  work  miracles,  &c. ;  and  for  this, 
very  maii}^  o^thers,  in  that  age,  were  endued 
with  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Holy 
Ghost,  Eph.  iv.  11 :  "  And  he  gave  some, 
Apostles  :  and  some.  Prophets :  and  some, 
Evangelists."  Here  the  extraordinary  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  are  referred  to ;  and  the  end  of 
all  is  expressed  in  the  next  words,  viz. :  "For 
the  perfecting  of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of 
the  ministry,  for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of 
Christ."  And  what  sort  of  edifying  of  the 
body  of  Christ  this  is,  we  learn  from  verse  16 : 
"'  Maketh  increase  of  the  body,  unto  the  edi- 
fying of  itself  in  love."  In  love^  that  is,  in 
charity^  the  same  that  is  spoken  of  in  our 
text,  for  the  word  in  the  original  is  the  same, 
and  the  same  thing  is  meant.  And  so  it  is  the 
same  as  in  1  Cor.  viii.  1 :  charity  edifieth. 

But  the  end  is  always  more  excellent  than 
the  means  :  this  is  a  maxim  universally  allow- 
ed ;  for  means  have  no  goodness  in  them  any 
otherwise  than  as  they  are  subordinate  to  the 
end.  The  end  therefore  must  be  considered  as 
superior  in  excellency  to  the  means. 

8.  The  extraordinary  gifts   of  the  Sj)i?ii 


60  CHAEiTY  :moee  excellent 


will  he  so  far  from  profiting  ooithout  that 
grace  lohich  is  the  fruit  of  the  ordinary  inflw- 
ences  of  the  Spirit^  that  they  loill  hut  aggra- 
vate the  condemnation  of  those  that  ham  them. 
Doubtless  Judas'  condemnation  was  exceed- 
ingly aggravated  bj  his  having  been  one 
that  had  had  such  privileges.  And  some, 
that  have  had  such  extraordinary  gifts,  have 
committed  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost, 
and  their  privileges  were  a  main  thing  that 
rendered  their  sin,  the  unpardonable  sin  ;  as 
appears  from  Heb.  vi.  4,  5,  6  :  "  For  it  is  im- 
possible for  those  who  were  once  enlightened, 
and  have  tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  were 
made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  and  have 
tasted  the  good  word  of  God,  and  the  powers  of 
the  world  to  come,  if  they  shall  fall  away,  to  re- 
new them  again  unto  repentance :  seeing  they 
crucify  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God  afresh, 
and  put  him  to  an  open  shame."  Those  who 
fell  away^  were  such  as  apostatized  from  Chris- 
tianity after  having  made  a  public  profession 
of  it,  and  received  the  extraordinary  gifts  of 
the  Holy  Ghost,  as  most  Christians  did  in 
those  days.  They  were  instructed  in  Cln-is- 
tianity,  and  through  the  c<_>mmon  influences 
of  the  Spirit  they  received  the  word  with  joy, 


THAK   THE   GIFTS   OF   THE   SPIRIT.  61 


like  those  in  Matt.  xiii.  20 ;  and  witha.  re- 
ceived the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit : 
"  were  made  partakers  of  the  Holy  Ghost, 
tasted  of  the  heavenly  gift,  and  the  powers  of 
the  world  to  come ;"  spake  with  tongues ; 
prophesied  in  Christ's  name  ;  and  in  his  name 
cast  out  devils ;  and  yet  after  all,  openly  re- 
nounced Christianity ;  joined  to  call  Christ 
an  impostor,  as  his  murderers  did ;  and  so 
"  crucified  to  themselves  the  Son  of  God 
afresh",  and  put  him  to  an  open  shame/'  Of 
these  it  is  that  the  Apostle  says :  "  It  is  impos- 
sible to  renew  them  again  unto  repentance." 
Such  apostates,  in  their  renouncing  Christian- 
ity, must  ascribe  the  miraculous  ]30wers  which 
themselves  had  possessed  to  1  ^e  devil.  So 
their  case  became  hopeless ;  and  their  con- 
demnation must  be  exceedino^ly  a2:2:ravated. 
And  from  this  it  appears  that  saving  grace  is  of 
infinitely  more  worth  and  excellence,  than  the 
extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit.  And,  lastly, 
9.  Another  thing  that  shows  the  preferable- 
?iess  of  that  saving  grace^  lohich  is  the  fruit 
of  the  ordinary  influences  of  the  Holy  Spirit^ 
to  the  extraordinary  gifts^  is^  that  one  will 
fail^  and  the  other  will  not. — ^This  argument 
the  Apostle  makes  use  of,  in  the  context,  to 


62  CHAKITT    MORE    EXCELLENT 


bIiow  that  divine  love  is  preferable  to  the  ex- 
traord  maiy  gifts  of  the  S]3irit,  verse  8 : 
"  Charity  never  faileth  :  but  whether  thero 
be  proj)hecies,  they  shall  fail ;  whether  there 
be  tongues,  they  shaL  cease ;  whether  there 
be  knowledge,  it  shall  vanish  awa}^"  Divine 
love  will  remain  throughout  all  eternity,  but 
the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit  will  fail  in 
time.  They  are  only  of  the  nature  of  means, 
and  w^hen  the  end  is  obtained  they  shall 
cease;  but  divine  love  will  remain  forever. 
In  the  improvement  of  this  subject,  I  remark  : 

1.  If  saving  grace  is  a  greater  blessing  than 
the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit^  we  may 
doubtless  hence  argue^  that  it  is  the  greatest 
jprivilege  and  blessing  that  ever  God  bestows 
on  any  person  in  this  world. — For  these  extra- 
ordinary gifts  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  such  as  the 
gift  of  tongues,  of  miracles,  of  prophecy,  &c., 
are  the  highest  kind  of  privileges  that  God 
ever  bestows  on  natural  men,  and  privileges 
which  have  been  very  rarely  bestowed  on 
such,  in  any  age  of  the  world,  the  apostolic 
age  excepted. 

If  what  has  been  said  be  well  considered,  it 
will  appear  evident  beyond  all  doubt,  that  the 
saving  grace  of  God  in  the  heart,  working  a 


THAN   THE    GIFTS    OF    THE   SPIRIT.  63 


holy  and  divine  temper  in  the  soul,  is  the 
greatest  blessing  that  ever  men  receive  in  this 
world :  greater  than  any  natural  gifts,  greater 
than  the  greatest  natural  abilities,  greater 
than  any  acquired  endowments  of  mind, 
greater  than  the  most  universal  learning, 
greater  than  any  outward  wealth  and  honor, 
greater  than  to  be  a  king  or  an  emperor,  greater 
than  to  be  taken  from  the  sheepcote,  as  David 
was,  and  made  king  over  all  Israel ;  and  all 
the  riches  and  honor  and  magnificence  of 
Solomon  in  all  his  glory,  are  not  to  be  com- 
pared with  it. 

Great  was  the  privilege  that  God  bestowed 
on  the  blessed  Yirgin  Mary,  in  granting  that 
of  her  should  be  born  the  Son  of  God.  That 
a  j^erson,  Avho  was  infinitely  more  honorable 
than  the  angels,  yea,  who  was  the  Creator  and 
King  of  heaven  and  earth,  the  great  sovereign 
of  the  world,  that  such  an  one  should  be  con- 
ceived in  her  womb,  born  of  her,  and  nursed  at 
her  breasts,  was  a  greater  privilege  than  for 
her  to  be  the  mother  of  the  child  of  the  great- 
est earthly  prince  that  ever  lived,  yet  even 
that  was  not  so  great  a  privilege,  as  to  have 
the  grace  of  God  in  the  heart ;  to  have  Christ, 
as  it  were,  born  in  the  soul,  as  he  himself  doth 


64        CHARITY  MOEE  EXCELLENT 


expressly  teacli  us,  in  Luke  xi.  27,  28  :  "  Ai.d 
it  came  to  pass,  as  he  spake  these  things,  a 
certain  woman  of  the  company  lifted  up  her 
voice,  and  said  unto  him.  Blessed  is  the  womb 
that  bare  thee,  and' the  paps  which  thou  hast 
sucked."  But  he  said,  "  Yea,  rather  blessed 
are  they  that  hear  the  word  of  God  and  keep 
it."  And  once  when  some  told  him,  that  his 
mother  and  his  brethren  stood  without,  desir- 
ing to  speak  with  him,  he  thence  took  occasion 
to  let  them  know,  that  there  was  a  more 
blessed  way  of  being  related  to  him  than  that 
which  consisted  in  being  his  mother  and 
brethi'en  according  to  the  liesh.  Matt,  xii,  46, 
47,  48,  49,  50  :  "  AVho  is  my  mother  ?"  said  he, 
"  and  who  are  my  brethren  ?  and  he  stretched 
forth  his  hand  toward  his  disciples,  and  said. 
Behold  my  mother  and  my  brethren,  For  who- 
soever shall  do  the  will  of  my  Father  which  is 
in  heaven,  the- same  is  my  brother,  and  sister, 
and  mother." 

2.  Hence  these  two  hinds  of  privileges  are 
not  to  l>e  confounded^  hy  talcing  things  that 
have  some  appearance  of  an  extrcKj^rdlnary 
rniraculous  gift  of  the  Spirit^  for  sure  signs 
of  grace. — If  persons  at  any  time  have  some 
extraordinary    impression   made   uj>on   their 


THAN   THE   GIFTS   OF   THE   SPIRIT.  65 


minds,  wliicL  they  think  is  from  God,  reveal- 
ing something  to  them  that  shall  come  to  pass 
hereafter,  this,  if  it  were  real,  would  argne  an 
extraordinary  gift  of  the  Holy  Ghost,  viz.  the 
gift  of  proj^hecy ;  but,  from  what  has  been 
said,  it  is  evident,  that  it  would  be  no  certain 
sign  of  grace,  or  of  anything  saving  :  even  if 
it  were  real,  I  say,  for  indeed  we  have  no  rea- 
son to  look  on  such  things  when  pretended  to, 
in  these,  days,  as  any  other  than  delusion. 
And  the  fact  that  such  impressions  are  made 
by  texts  of  Scripture  coining  suddenly  to  the 
mind,  alters  not  the  case  ;  for  a  text  of  Scrip- 
ture coming  to  the  mind,  proves  no  more  to 
be  true,  than  the  reading  of  it  proves.  If 
reading  any  text  of  Scripture,  at  any  time, 
and  at  all  times,  as  it  lies  in  the  Bible,  does  not 
prove  such  a  thing,  then  its  coming  suddenly 
to  the  mind  does  not  j^rove  it ;  for  the  Scrip- 
ture speaks  just  the  same  thing  at  one  time, 
as  it  does  at  another.  The  words  have  the 
same  meaning  wlien  they  are  read  along  in 
course,  as  they  have  when  they  are  suddenly 
brought  to  the  mind.  And  if  any  man  tliere- 
fore  argues  anything  further  from  them,  he 
proceeds  without  warrant.  Fur  their  coming 
suddenly   to   the   mind  does   not  give  them 


66  CHARITY  MORE  EXCELLENT 


a  new  meaning,  wliicli  tliey  had  not  "before. 
So  if  a  man  thinks  that  he  is  in  a  good  estate, 
because  such  a  text  of  Scripture  comes  sud- 
denly to  his  mind,  if  the  text  does  not  prove 
it,  as  it  lies  in  the  Bible,  and  if  it  would  not 
have  proved  it,  had  he  only  read  it,  as  he  was 
reading  along  in  course,  then  by  such  a  text 
coming  to  his  mind,  he  has  no  evidence  that 
he  is  in  a  good  estate.  So  if  anything  appears 
to  persons,  as  though  they  had  a  vision  of  some 
visible  form,  and  heard  some  voice,  such 
things  are  not  to  be  taken  as  signs  of  grace, 
for  if  they  are  real  and  from  God,  they  are 
not  grace,  for  the  extraordinary  influence  of 
the  Spirit,  j)roducing  visions  and  dreams,  such 
as  the  2^1'ophets  of  old  had,  are  no  sure  signs 
of  grace.  All  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit,  which 
we  are  to  lay  weight  uj)on  as  evidential  of 
grace,  are  summed  up  in  charity,  or  Christian 
love ;  because  this  is  the  sum  of  all  grace. 
And  the  only  way,  therefore,  in  which  any  can 
know  their  good  estate,  is  by  discerning  the 
exercises  of  this  divine  charity  in  their  hearts, 
for  without  charity,  let  men  have  what  giits 
you  please,  they  are  nothing. 

3.  Jf  saving  grace  is  more   excellent  than 
the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit^  then  we 


TTIAN   THE    GIFTS    OF    THE    SPIRIT.  67 


cannot  conclude  from  what  the  Scripture  says 
of  the  glory  of  the  latter  times  of  the  churchy 
that  the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Sjnrit  will 
he  granted  to  men  in  those  times. — Many 
have  been  ready  to  think  that,  in  those  glo- 
rious times  of  the  church,  which  shall  be  after 
the  calling  of  the  Jews,  and  the  destruction 
of  Antichrist,  there  will  be  many  persons  that 
will  be  inspired,  and  endued  with  a  power 
of  working  miracles.  But  what  the  Scri23ture 
says  concerning  the  glory  of  those  times  does 
not  prove  any  such  thing,  or  make  it  proba- 
ble. For  it  has  been  shown,  that  the  pouring 
out  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  in  his  ordinary  and 
saving  operations,  to  fill  men's  hearts  with  a 
Christian  and  holy  temper,  and  lead  them  to 
the  exercises  of  the  divine  life,  is  the  most 
glorious  way  of  pouring  out  the  Spirit,  that 
can  be  ;  more  glorious,  far  more  glorious,  than 
a  pouring  out  of  the  miraculous  gifts  of  the 
Spirit.  And  therefore  the  glory  of  those  times 
of  the  church  does  not  require  any  such  thing 
as  those  extraordinary  gifts.  Those  times 
may  be  far  the  most  glorious  times  of  the 
church,  that  ever  have  been,  without  them. 
Their  not  liaving  the  gift  of  p)-oj)hecy,  of 
tongues,  of  healing,  &c.,  as  thej  had  in  the 


bo  CIIAKITT    MOEE    EXCELLENT 

« 

Apostolic  age,  will  not  hinder  there  being  far 
more  gloiious  times  than  there  were  then,  if 
the  Spirit  be  poured  out  in  greater  measure 
in  his  sanctifying  influences ;  for  this,  as  the 
Apostle  expressly  asserts,  is  a  more  excellent 
way,  1  Cor.  xii.  31.  This  glory  is  the  great- 
est glory  of  the  church  of  Christ ;  and  the 
greatest  glory  which  Christ's  church  will  ever 
enjoy  in  any  period.  Tliis  is  what  will  make 
the  church  more  like  the  church  in  heaven, 
w^here  charity  or  love  hath  a  more  perfect 
reign,  than  any  number  or  degree  of  the  ex- 
traordinary gifts  of  the  Spirit  could  do.  So 
that  we  have  no  reason  on  this  account,  and 
perhaps  not  on  any  other,  to  expect  that  the 
extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit  will  be  poured 
out  in  those  glorious  times  which  are  yet  to 
come.  For  in  those  times,  there  is  no  new 
dispensation  to  be  introduced,  and  no  new 
Bible  to  be  given.  'Nor  have  we  any  reason 
to  expect  our  present  Scriptures  are  to  be 
added  to  and  enlarged  ;  but  rather  in-  the  end 
of  the  sacred  writings  which  we  now  have,  it 
seems  to  be  intimated,  that  no  addition  is  to 
be  made  till  Christ  comes.  See  Hev.  xxii. 
18-21. 
4.    What  cause  have  they  to  Uess  God^  and 


THAN    TKE    GIFTS    OF   THE    SPIRIT.  69 


to  live  to  his  glory ^  who  have  received  such  a 
jpo''ivilege^  as  is  implied  in  the  influence  of  the 
Holy Spii'it^worhing  sojving  graxein  the  heart. 
If  we  do  but  seriously  consider  the  state  of 
the  godly,  of  those  who  have  been  the  sub- 
jects of  this  inexpressible  blessing,  we  cannot 
but  be  astonished  at  the  wonderful  grace  be- 
stowed upon  them.  And  the  more  we  con- 
sider it,  the  more  wonderful  and  inexpressible 
it  will  appear.  When  we  read  in  the  Scrip- 
tures of  the  great  privileges  conferred  on  the 
Yirgin  Mary,  and  on  the  Apostle  Paul,  when 
he  was  caught  up  into  the  third  heaven,  we  are 
ready  to  admire  such  privileges  as  very  great. 
But  after  all,  they  are  as  nothing  compared 
with  the  privilege  of  being  like  Christ,  and 
having  his  love  in  the  heart.  Let  those,  then, 
that  hope  they  have  this  last  blessing,  con- 
sider more  than  they  ever  yet  have  done,  how 
great  a  favor  God  has  bestowed  upon  them, 
and  how  great  their  obligations  to  glorify  him 
for  the  work  he  hath  wrought  in  them,  and  to 
glorify  Christ  who  hath  purchased  this  bless- 
ing for  them  with  his  own  blood,  and  to  glo- 
rify the  Holy  Spirit  who  hath  sealed  it  to 
their  souls.  What  manner  of  persons  ought 
such  to  be  in  all  holy  conversation  and  godli- 


70        CHAEITT  MOKE  EXCELLENT 


ness !  Consider,  jou  that  hope  in  God's 
mercy,  how  highly  he  hath  advanced  and  ex- 
alted you  ;  and  will  you  not  be  diligent  to  live 
for  him  ?  Will  you  dishonor  Christ  so  as  to 
regard  him  but  little,  not  giving  him  your 
whole  heart,  but  going  after  the  world,  neg- 
lecting him,  and  his  service,  and  his  glory  ? 
"Will  you  not  be  watchful  against  yourselves, 
against  a  corrupt,  worldly,  proud  disposition, 
tliat  might  lead  you  away  from  God  who  has 
been  so  kind  to  you,  and  from  the  Saviour 
who  has  purchased  such  blessings  for  you,  at 
the  cost  of  his  own  agonies  and  death  ?  Will 
you  not  every  day  make  this  your  earnest  in- 
quiry, "  What  shall  I  render  unto  the  Lord 
for  all  his  benefits  towards  me  ?"  What  could 
God  have  done  more  for  you  than  he  has 
done  ?  What  privilege  could  he  have  be- 
stowed, better  in  itself,  or  more  worthy  to 
engage  your  heart  in  thankfulness?  And 
consider  how  you  are  living — how  little  you 
have  done  for  him — how  much  you  d(>  for  self 
— ^how  little  this  divine  love  hath  wrought  in 
your  heart  to  incline  you  to  live  for  God  and 
Christ,  and  for  the  extension  of  his  kingdom? 
O !  how  should  such  as  you,  show  your  sense 
of  your  high  j)rivileges,  by  the  exercises  of 


TILLN   THE    GIFTS    OF   THE   SPIKIT.  71 


love  ;  love  tliat  is  manifest  toward  God  in 
obedience,  submission,  reverence,  cheerful- 
ness, jo  J  and  hope,  and  toward  your  neighbor, 
in  meekness,  sympathy,  humility,  charitable- 
ness, and  doing  good  to  all  as  you  have  oppor- 
tunity.    Finally, 

5.  The  subject  exliorts  all  iinrcnejDed  j^kt 
sons^  those  who  are  strangers  to  this  grace^  io 
seeh  this  most  excellent  hlessingf:'^  ^h'^mselv'^ 
Consider  huw  miserable  you  now  are  while 
wholly  destitute  of  this  love,  far  from  rghl- 
eousness,  in  love  with  the  vanities  of  the 
world,  and  full  of  enmity  against  God.  How 
will  you  endure  when  he  shall  deal  with  you 
according  to  what  you  are,  coming  forth  in 
anger  as  your  enemy,  and  executing  his  fierce 
wrath  against  you.  Consider,  too,  that  you 
are  capable  of  this  love  ;  and  Christ  is  able 
and  willing  to  bestow  it ;  and  multitudes  have 
obtained  it,  and  been  blessed  in  it.  God  is 
seeking  your  love,  and  you  are  under  unspeak- 
able obligation  to  render  it.  The  Spirit  of 
God  has  been  poured  out  wonderfully  here. 
Multitudes  have  been  converted.  Scarcely  a 
family  has  been  passed  by.  In  almost  every 
household  some  have  been  made  nobles,  kings, 
and  priests  unto  God,  sons  and  daughters  ot 


72    CHARITY  MORE  EXCELLENT,  ETC. 


the  Lord  Almighty !  What  manner  of  per- 
sons, then,  ought  all  of  us  to  be,  how  holy, 
serious,  just,  humble,  charitable,  devoted  in 
God's  service,  and  faithful  to  our  fellow-men. 
As  individuals  and  as  a  people,  God  has  most 
richly  blessed  us,  and  as  both  individuals  and 
a  people,  it  becomes  us  to  be  a  royal  priest- 
hood, an  holy  nation,  a  peculiar  people,  show- 
ing forth  the  praises  of  him  that  hath  called  us 
all  out  of  darkness  into  his  marvellous  light. 
^'  Now  consider  this,  ye  that  forget  God,  lest 
I  tear  you  in  pieces  and  there  be  none  to  de- 
liver. Whoso  offereth  praise  glorifieth  me, 
and  to  him  that  ordereth  his  conversation 
aright,  will  I  show  the  salvation  of  God  V 


LECTUKE  III. 


THE   GREATEST  PEEFOEMANCES  OK  SUFFERINGS   UX 

VAIN    WITHOUT    CHARITY. 

•> 

"  And  though  I  bestow  all  ray  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and 
though  I  give  my  body  to  be  burned,  and  have  not  charity, 
itprofite-th  me  nothing." — 1  Cor.  xiii.  3. 

In  the  previous  verses  of  this  chapter,  the 
necessity  and  excellence  of  charity  are  set 
forth,  as  we  have  seen,  by  its  preference  to 
the  greatest  ]3rivileges,  and  the  utter  vanity 
and  insignificance  of  these  privileges  without 
it.  The  privileges  particularly  mentioned  are 
those  that  consist  in  the  extraordinary  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  of  God.  In  this  verse,  things  of 
another  kind  are  mentioned,  viz.  those  that 
»re  of  a  moral  nature ;  and  it  is  declared  that 
none  of  these  avail  anything  without  charity. 
And,  particularly, 

First.  That  our  jperfovmances  are  ia  vain 
without  it.     Here  is  one  of  the  highest  kinds 


74  PEKFOEMANCES   AND   SUFFEKINGS 


of  external  performances  mentioned,  viz.  giv- 
ing all  our  goods  to  feed  the  poor.  Giving  to 
the  poor,  is  a  duty  very  mnch  insisted  on 
in  the  word  of  God,  and  particularly  unde-'* 
the  Christian  dispensation.  And  in  the  prim"* 
tive  times  of  Christianity,  the  circumstances 
of  the  church  were  such,  that  persons  were 
sometimes  called  to  part  with  all  they  had, 
and  give  it  away  to  others.  GCJiis  was  partly 
because  of  the  extreme  necessities  of  those 
who  were  j)ei'secuted  and  in  distress,  and 
partly  because  the  difficulties  that  attended 
beino^  a  follower  of  Christ  and  doinc^  the 
work  of  the  gosj^el  were  such,  as  to  call  for  the 
disciples  disentangling  themselves  from  the 
care  and  burden  of  their  worldly  possessions, 
and  going  forth,  as  it  were,  without  gold,  or 
silver,  or  scrip,  or  their  purses,  or  even  two 
coats  apiece.  The  Apostle  Paul  tells  us,  that 
he  had  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things  for 
Christ;  and  the  primitive  Christians,  in  the 
church  at  Jerusalem,  sold  all  that  they  had, 
and  gave  it  into  a  common  fund,  and  "  none 
said  that  aught  that  he  had  was  his  own, 
Acts  iv.  32.  The  duty  of  giving  to  the  poor, 
was  a  duty  that  the  Christian  Corinthians  at 
this  time  had  particular  occasion  to  consider, 


VAIN   WITHOUT   CHARITY.  75 


not  only  because  of  the  many  troubles  of  the 
times,  but  by  reason,  also,  of  a  great  dearth 
or  famine  that  sorely  distressed  the  brethren 
in  Judea  ;  in  view  of  which,  the  Apostle  had 
already  urged  it  on  the  Corinthians,  as  their 
duty,  to  send  relief  to  them,  speaking  of  it 
particularly  in  this  Epistle,  in  the  sixteenth 
chapter,  and  also  in  his  second  Epistle  to  the 
same  church,  in  the  eighth  and  ninth  chapters. 
And  yet,  though  he  says  so  much  in  both 
these  Epistles,  to  stir  them  up  to  the  duty  of 
giving  to  the  j^oor,  still  he  is  very  careful  to 
inform  them,  that  though  they  should  go 
ever  so  far  in  it,  yea,  though  they  should  be- 
stow all  their  goods  to  feed  the  poor,  and  have 
not  charity,  it  would  profit  them  nothing. 

Secondly.  The  Apostle  teaches,  that  not 
only  our  performances,  but  also  our  sufferings 
are  of  no  avail  without  charity.  Men  are 
ready  to  make  much  of  what  they  do.,  but 
more  of  what  they  siffer.  They  are  ready  to 
think  it  a  great  thing  when  they  put  them- 
selves out  of  their  way,  or  are  at  great  ex- 
pense or  suffering  for  their  religion.  The 
Apostle  here  mentions  a  suffering  of  the  most 
extreme  kind,  suffering  even  to  death,  and 
that  one  of  the  most  teriible  forms  of  death, 


PERFOEMANCES    AND    SUFFERINGS 


and  says  that  even  this  is  nothing  without 
charity.  When  a  man  has  given  away  all 
his  goods,  he  has  nothing  else  remaining  that 
he  can  give,  bnt  himself.  And  the  Apostle 
teaches,  that  when  a  man  has  given  all  his 
possessions,  if  he  then  goes  on  to  give  his  own 
body,  and  that  to  be  utterly  consumed  in  the 
flames,  it  will  avail  nothing  if  it  is  not  done 
from  sincere  love  in  the  heart.  The  time  when 
the  Apostle  wrote  to  the  Corinthians,  was  a 
time  when  Christians  were  often  called  not 
only  to  give  their  goods,  but  their  bodies, 
also,  for  Christ's  sake ;  for  the  church  then  was 
generally  under  persecution,  and  multitudes 
were  then  or  soon  after  put  to  very  cruel 
deaths  for  the  gospel's  sake.  But  though  they 
suffered  in  life,  or  endured  the  most  agonizing 
death,  it  would  be  in  vain  without  charity. 
What  is  meant  by  this  charity,  has  already 
been  explained  in  the  former  lectures  on  these 
verses,  in  which  it  has  been  shown  that  charity 
is  the  sum  of  all  that  is  distinguishing  in  the 
religion  of  the  heart.  And  therefore  the  doc- 
trine that  I  would  derive  from  these  words  is 
this, 

That  all  that  men  can  do,  and  all  that 

THEY     can     suffer,    CAN    NEVER    MAKE    UP   FOR 


VAIN    WITHOUT    CHARITY.  77 


THE   WANT   OF    SINCERE  CHRISTIAN    LOVE    IN    THE 
HEART. 

I.  There  may  'be  great  jperformances^  and  so 
there  'may  he  great  sufferings  without  sincere 
Christian  love  in  the  heart.     And, 

1.  There  may  be  great  -performances  with- 
out it.  The  Apostle  Paul,  in  the  third  chapter 
of  the  Epistle  to  the  Philippians,  tells  ns  what 
things  he  did  before  his  conversion,  and  while 
he  remained  a  Pharisee.  In  the  fom'th  verse, 
he  says,  "  If  any  other  man  thinketh  that  he 
hath  whereof  he  might  trust  in  the  flesh,  I 
more."  Many  of  the  Pharisees  did  great 
things,  and  abounded  in  religious  perform- 
ances. The  Pharisee  mentioned  in  Luke 
xviii.  11,  12,  boasted  of  the  great  things  he 
had  done,  both  towards  God  and  men,  and 
thanked  God,  that  he  so  exceeded  other  men 
in  his  doings.  And  many  of  the  heathen 
have  been  eminent  for  their  great  j)erform- 
ances ;  some  for  their  integrity,  or  for  their 
jnstice,  and  others  for  their  great  deeds  done 
for  the  23ublic  good.  Many  men  without 
any  sincerity  of  love  in  their  hearts,  have  been 
exceeding  magnificent  in  their  gifts  for  pious 
and  charitable  uses,  and  have  thus  gotten  to 
themselves  great  fame,  and  had  their  names 


18 


PEKFOEMANCES   AND   SUFFERINGS 


handed  down  in  history  to  posterity  with  great 
glory.  Many  have  done  great  things  from 
fear  of  hell,  hoping  thereby  to  appease  the 
Deity  and  make  atonement  for  their  sins,  and 
many  have  done  great  things  from  pride,  and 
from  a  desire  for  reputation  and  honor  among 
men.  And  though  these  motives  are  not  wont 
to  influence  men  to  a  constant  and  universal 
observance  of  God's  commands,  and  to  go  on 
with  a  course  of  Christian  performances,  and 
with  the  practice  of  all  duties  towards  God 
and  man  through  life,  yet  it  is  hard  to  say 
how  far  such  natural  principles  may  carry 
men  in  particular  duties  and  performances. 
And  so, 

2.  There  may  be  great  sufferings  for  re- 
ligion, and  yet  no  sincerity  of  love  in  the 
heart.  Persons  may  undergo  great  sufferings 
in  life,  just  as  some  of  the  Pharisees  used 
themselves  to  great  severities,  and  to  penances 
and  voluntary  inflictions.  Many  have  under- 
taken wearisome  pilgrimages,  and  have  shut 
themselves  out  from  the  benefits  and  pleas- 
ures of  the  society  of  mankind,  or  have  spent 
their  lives  in  deserts  and  solitudes,  and  some 
have  suffered  death,  of  whom  we  have  no  rea- 
son to  think  that  the.y  had  any  sincere  love  to 


VAIN   WITHOUT    CHAEITY.  79 


God  in  their  hearts.  Multitudes  among  the 
Papists,  have  voluntarily  gone  and  ventured 
their  lives  in  bloody  wars,  in  hopes  of  merit- 
ing heaven  by  it.  In  the  wars  carried  on 
with  the  Turks  and  Saracens,  called  the  Holy 
Wars,  or  Crusades,  thousands  went  volunta- 
rily to  all  the  dangers  of  the  conflict,  in  the 
hope  of  thus  securing  the  pardon  of  their 
sins,  and  the  rewards  of  glory  hereafter  ;  and 
many  thousands,  yea,  some  millions,  in  this  way 
lost  their  lives,  even  to  the  dejiopulation,  in  a 
considerable  measure,  of  many  parts  of  Europe. 
And  the  Tm-ks  were  many  of  them  enraged  by 
this  exceedingly,  so  as  to  venture  their  lives, 
and  rush,  as  it  were,  upon  the  very  points  of 
the  swords  of  their  enemies,  because  Mahomet 
has  promised  that  all  that  die  in  war,  in  de- 
fence of  the  Mahometan  faith,  shall  go  at  once 
to  Paradise.  And  history  tells  us  of  some, 
that  have  yielded  themselves  to  voluntary 
death,  out  of  mere  obstinacy  and  sturdiness 
of  spirit,  rather  than  yield  to  the  demand  of 
others,  when  they  might,  without  dishonor, 
have  saved  their  lives.  Many  among  the 
heathen  have  died  for  their  country;  and 
many,  as  martyrs  for  a  false  faith,  though  not 
in  any  wise  in  such  numbers,  nor  in  such  a  man- 


80  PEEFOKMANCES    AND   SUFI'EKTNGS 


ner,  as  those  that  have  died  as  martyrs  for  the 
tru(3  religion.  And  in  all  these  cases,  many 
d.iiibtless  have  endnred  their  sufferings,  or 
met  death,  without  having  any  sincere  divine 
love  in  their  hearts.     But, 

II.  Whatever  men  may  do  or  suffer^  they 
cannot  ly  all  their  ])erformafifice8  and  suffer- 
ings^ mahe  'upfor  the  want  of  sincere  love  in 
the  heart. — If  they  lay  themselves  out  ever 
so  much  in  the  things  of  religion,  and  are 
ever  so  much  engaged  in  acts  of  justice  and 
kindness  and  devotion ;  and  if  their  prayers 
and  fastings  are  ever  so  much  multiplied ;  or 
if  they  should  spend  their  time  ever  so  much 
in  the  forms  of  religious  worship,  giving  days 
and  nights  to  it,  and  denying  sleep  to  their 
eyes  and  slumber  to  their  eyelids,  that  they 
might  be  the  more  laborious  in  religious  exer- 
cises ;  and  if  the  things  that  they  should  do 
in  religion  were  such  as  to  get  them  a  name 
throughout  the  world,  and  make  them  famous 
to  all  future  generations,  it  w^ould  all  be  in 
vain  w^ithout  sincere  love  to  God  in  the  heart. 
And  so  if  a  man  should  give  most  bounteously 
to  religious  or  charitable  uses  ;  and  if  possess- 
ing the  riches  of  a  kingdom  he  should  give  it 
all,  and  from  the  splendor  of  an  earthly  prince 


VAIN    WITHOUT    CHAKITr.  81 


should  reduce  himself  to  the  level  of  beggars ; 
and  if  he  should  not  stop  there,  but  when  he 
has  done  all  this,  should  yield  himself  to 
undergo  the  fiercest  sufferings,  giving  up  not 
only  all  his  possessions,  but  also  giving  his 
body  to  be  clothed  in  rags,  or  to  be  mangled 
and  burned  and  tormented  as  much  as  the  wit 
of  man  could  conceive,  all,  even  all  this, 
would  not  make  up  for  the  want  of  sincere 
love  to  God  in  the  heart.  And  it  is  plain  that 
it  would  not  for  the  following  reasons  : — 

1.  It  is  not  the  external  %oorlc  done^  or  the 
suffering  endwred^  that  is^  in  itself^  worth  any- 
thing  in  the  sight  of  God. — The  motions  and 
exercise  of  the  body,  or  anything  that  may  be 
done  by  it,  if  considered  separately  from  the 
heart — the  inward  part  of  the  man,  is  of  no 
more  consequence  or  worth  in  the  sight  of 
God,  than  the  motions  of  anything  without 
life.  If  anything  be  offered  or  given,  though 
it  be  silver,  or  gold,  or  the  cattle  on  a  thou- 
sand hills,  though  it  be  a  thousand  rams,  or 
ten  thousands  of  rivers  of  oil,  there  is  nothing 
of  value  in  it,  as  an  external  thing,  in  God's 
sight.  If  God  were  in  need  of  these  things, 
they  might  be  of  value  to  him  in  themselves 
considered,  independently  of  the  motives  of 


82  PERFORMANCES   AND   SUFFERINGS 


the  heart  that  led  to  their  being  offered.  "We 
often  stand  in  need  of  external  good  things, 
and  therefore  such  things  offered  or  given  to 
us,  may  and  do  have  a  value  to  us,  in  them- 
selves considered.  But  God  stands  in  need  of 
nothing.  He  is  all-sufficient  in  himself.  He 
is  not  fed  by  the  sacrifices  of  beasts,  nor  en- 
riched by  the  gift  of  silver,  or  gold,  or  pearls, 
"  Every  beast  of  the  forest  is  mine,  and  the 
cattle  upon  a  thousand  hills.  If  I  were  hun- 
gry, I  would  not  tell  thee,  for  the  world  is 
mine,  and  the  fulness  thereof,"  Psalm  1.  10, 
12.  "All  things  come  of  thee,  and  of  thine 
own,  have  we  given  thee.  O,  Lord,  our  God, 
all  this  store  that  we  have  prepared  to  build 
thee  an  house  for  thine  holy  name,  cometh  of 
thine  hand,  and  is  all  thine  own,"  1  Chroni- 
cles xxix.  14,  16.  And  as  there  is  nothing 
profitable  to  God  in  any  of  our  services  or  per- 
formances, so  there  can  be  nothing  acceptable 
in  his  sight  in  a  mere  external  action  without 
sincere  love  in  the  heart,  "  for  the  Lord  seeth 
not  as  men  seeth  ;  for  man  looketh  on  the  out- 
ward appearance,  but  God  looketh  on  the 
heart."  The  heart  is  just  as  naked  and  open 
to  him  as  the  external  actions.  And  therefore 
he  sees  our  actions,  and  all  our  conduct,  not 


VAIN   WITHOUT   CHARITY.  83 


merely  as  the  external  motions  of  a  machine, 
but  as  the  actions  of  rational,  intelligent  crea* 
tures,  and  voluntary  free  agents,  and  therefore 
there  can  be,  in  his  estimation,  no  excellence 
or  amiableness  in  anything  we  can  do,  if  the 
heart  be  not  right  with  him. 

And  so  God  takes  no  pleasure  in  any  suffer- 
ings that  we  may  endure,  in  themselves  con- 
sidered. He  is  not  profited  by  the  torments 
men  may  undergo,  nor  does  he  delight  to  see 
them  putting  themselves  to  suffering,  unless  it 
be  from  some  good  motive,  or  to  some  good 
purpose  and  end.  "We  sometimes  may  need 
that  our  fellow-men,  our  friends  and  neigh- 
bors should  suffer  for  us,  and  should  help  us 
bear  our  burdens,  and  put  themselves  to  in- 
convenience for  our  sake.  But  God  stands  in 
no  such  need  of  us,  and  therefore  our  suffer- 
ings are  not  acceptable  to  him,  considered 
merely  as  sufferings  endured  by  us  ;  and  are 
of  no  account  apart  from  the  motive  that  leads 
us  to  endure  them.  Ko  matter  what  may  be 
done  or  suffered,  neither  doings  nor  sufferings 
will  make  up  for  the  want  of  love  to  God  in 
the  soul.  They  are  not  profitable  to  God,  or 
lovely  for  their  own  sake  in  his  sight ;  nor 
can  they  ever  make  up  for  the  absence  of  that 


84:  PERFORMAIJCES   AND   SITFFERINGS 


love  to  God  and  love  to  men,  wliicli  is  the  sum 
of  all  that  God  requires  of  his  moral  crea- 
tures. 

2.  Whatever  is  done  or  suffered^  yet  if  the 
heart  is  withheld  from  God^  there  is' nothing 
really  given  to  him. — ^The  act  of  the  individual, 
in  what  he  does  or  suffers,  is  in  every  case, 
looked  upon  not  as  the  act  of  a  lifeless  engine 
or  machine,  but  as  the  act  of  an  intelligent, 
voluntary,  moral  being.  For  surely  a  ma- 
chine is  not  properly  capable  of  giving  any- 
thing :  and  if  any  such  machine,  that  is  with- 
out life,  being  moved  by  springs,  or  weights, 
places  anything  before  us,  it  cannot  properly 
be  said  to  give  it  to  us.  Harps,  and  cymbals, 
and  other  instruments  of  music,  were  of  old 
made  use  of  in  praising  God  in  the  temple 
and  elsewhere.  But  these  lifeless  instruments 
could  not  be  said  to  give  praise  to  God,  be- 
cause they  had  no  thought,  nor  understanding, 
or  will,  or  heart,  to  give  value  to  their  pleasant 
sounds.  And  so  though  a  man  has  a  heart, 
and  an  understanding,  and  a  will,  yet  if  when 
he  gives  anything  to  God,  he  gives  it  without 
his  heart,  there  is  no  more  truly  given  to  God, 
than  is  given  by  the  instrument  of  music. 

He  that  has  no  sincerity  in  his  heart,  has 


VAIN    WITHOUT    CIIA.RITY.  85 


no  real  respect  to  God  in  what  he  seems  to 
give,  or  in  all  his  performances  or  sufferiDgs ; 
and  therefore  G-od  is  not  his  great  end  in  what 
he  does  or  gives.  What  is  given,  is  given  to 
that  which  the  individnal  makes  his  great  end 
in  giving.  If  his  end  be  oidy  himself,  then 
it  is  given  only  to  himself,  and  not  to  God  ; — ■ 
and  if  his  aim  be  his  own  honor  or  ease,  or 
worldly  j^roiit,  then  the  gift  is  bnt  an  offering 
to  these  things.  The  gift  is  an  offering  to 
him  to  whom  the  giver's  heart  devotes,  and  for 
whom  he  designs  it.  It  is  the  aim  of  the 
lieart  that  makes  the  reality  of  the  gift ;  and 
if  the  sincere  aim  of  the  heart  be  not  to  God, 
then  there  is  in  reality  nothing  given  to  him, 
no  matter  what  is  performed  or  suffered.  So 
that  it  would  be  a  great  absurdity  to  suppose, 
that  anything  that  can  be  offered  or  given  to 
God,  can  make  up  for  the  absence  of  love  in 
the  heart  to  him ;  for  without  this,  nothing  is 
truly  given,  and  the  seeming  gift  is  but  mock- 
ery of  the  Most  High.  This  further  appears, 
3.  From  tliefact^  that  this  love  orcJiarityis 
the  sum  of  all  that  God  reqidres  of  us. — And 
it  is  absurd  to  suj^posethat  anything  can  make 
up  for  the  want  of  that  which  is  the  sum  of  all 
that  God  requires.     Charity  or  love  is  some- 


86  PERFORMANCES   AND   SUFFERINGS 


thing  tliat  has  its  seat  in  the  heart,  and  in 
which,  as  we  have  seen,  consists  all  that  is 
saving  and  distinguishing  in  Christian  charac- 
ter. This  love  it  is,  of  which  our  Saviour 
62:>eaks  as  the  sum  of  all  required  in  the  two 
tables  of  the  law ;  and  which  the  Apostle  de- 
clares is  the  fulfilling  of  tlie  law  ;  and  how 
can  we  make  up  for  the  defect,  when  by  with- 
holding it,  we  do,  in  effect,  withhold  the  sum 
total  of  all  that  God  requires  of  us.  It  would 
be  absurd  to  suppose  that  we  can  make  up  for 
one  thing  that  is  required,  by  offering  another 
that  is  required — that  we  can  make  up  for  one 
debt  by  paying  another.  But  it  is  still  more 
absurd  to  sujDpose,  that  we  can  make  up  for 
the  whole  debt  without  paying  anything,  but 
by  continuing  still  to  withhold  all  that  is  re- 
quired. As  to  external  things  without  the 
heart,  God  speaks  of  them  as  not  being  the 
things  that  he  has  required  (Isaiah  i.  12),  and 
demands  that  the  heart  be  given  to  him,  if  we 
would  have  the  external  offering  accepted. 

4.  If  we  make  a  great  show  of  respect  and 
love  to  God^  in  the  outward  actions^  while  there 
is  no  sincerity  in  the  heart,  it  is  hut  hypocrisy 
and  practical  lying  unto  the  Holy  One. — To 
pretend  to  such  respect  and  love,  wlien  it  is 


VAIN   WITHOUT    CHARITY.  87 


not  felt  in  the  heart,  is  to  act  as  if  we  thought 
we  could  deceive  God.  It  is  to  do  as  Is- 
rael did  in  the  desert,  after  they  had  been 
delivered  from  Egypt,  when  they  are  said  to 
have  "flattered  God  with  their  mouth,  and  to 
have  lied  unto  him  with  their  tongues/'  Ps. 
Ixxviii.  36.  But  surely  it  is  as  absurd  to  sup- 
pose that  we  can  make  up  for  the  want  of 
sincere  respect  by  flattery  and  guile,  as  to 
suppose  we  can  make  up  for  the  want  of  trutli 
by  falsehood  and  lying. 

5.  Whatever  may  he  done  or  suffered^  'if 
there  he  no  sincerity  in  the  hearty  it  is  all  hut 
an  offering  to  some  idol.' — As  observed  befoi'e, 
there  is  nothing,  in  the  case  supposed,  really 
offered  to  God,  and  therefore  it  will  follow, 
that  it  is  offered  to  some  other  being  or  object 
or  end  ;  and  whatever  that  may  be,  it  is  what 
the  Scriptures  call  an  idol.  In  all  such  offer- 
ings, something  is  virtually  worshipped,  and 
whatever  it  is,  be  it  self,  or  our  fellow-men,  or 
the  world,  that  is  allowed  to  usurp  the  place 
that  should  be  given  to  God,  and  to  receive 
the  offerings  that  should  be  made  to  him. 
And  how  absurd  to  suppose  we  can  make  up 
for  withholding  from  God  that  which  is  his 
due,  by  offering  something  to  our  idol.     It  is 


88  PERFOEMAXCES    AND    SUFFEPJXGS 


as  absurd  as  it  is  to  suppose  that  the  wife  can 
make  up  for  want  of  love  to  her  husband,  by 
giving  that  affection  which  is  due  to  him,  to 
another  man  wlio  is  a  stranger  ;  or  that  she 
can  make  up  for  her  want  of  faithfulness  to 
him,  by  the  guilt  of  adultery. 

In  the  application  of  this  subject,  it  becomes 
us  to  use  it, 

1.  Ti%  the  way  of  self-examination. — If  it 
be  indeed  so,  that  all  that  we  can  do  or  suffer 
is  in  vain,  if  we  have  not  sincere  love  to  God 
in  the  heart,  then  it  should  put  us  upon  search- 
ino"  orrselves  whether  or  no  we  have  this  love 
in  sincerity  in  our  hearts.  There  are  many 
that  make  a  profession  and  show  of  religion, 
and  some  that  do  many  of  the  outward  things 
which  it  requires  ;  and  possibly  they  may  think 
that  they  have  done  and  suffered  much  for 
God  and  his  service.  But  the  great  inquiry 
is,  has  the  heart  been  sincere  in  it  all,  and  has 
all  been  suffered  or  done  from  a  regard  to  the 
divine  glor3\  Doubtless  if  we  examine  our- 
selves we  may  see  much  of  hypocrisy.  But 
is  there  any  sincerity  ?  God  abominates  the 
greatest  things  without  sincerity,  but  he  ac- 
cepts of  antl  delights  in  little  things  wlien 
they  spring  from  sincere  love  to  himself.     A 


VAIN   WITHOUT    CHARITY.  89 


cup  of  cold  water  given  to  a  disciple  in  sincere 
love,  is  worth  more  in  God's  sight,  than  all 
one's  goods  given  to  feed  the  poor,  yea,  than 
the  wealth  of  a  kingdom  given  away,  or  a 
body  offered  up  in  tlie  flames  without  love. 
And  God  accepts  of  even  a  little  sincere  love. 
Though  there  be  a  great  deal  of  imperfection, 
yet  if  there  be  any  true  sincerity  in  our  love, 
that  little  shall  not  be  rejected  because  there 
is  some  hypocrisy  with  it.  And  here  it  may 
be  profitable  to  observe,  that  there  are  these 
four  things  that  belong  to  the  nature  of  sin- 
cerity, viz,  truth,  freedom,  integrity  and  pu- 
rity.    And, 

First,  truth.' — That  is,  that  there  be  that  truly 
in  the  heart,  of  whicli  there  is  the  appearance 
and  show  in  the  outward  action.  Where  there 
is,  indeed,  true  respect  to  God,  the  love  that 
honors  him  will  be  felt  in  the  heart,  just  as 
extensively  as  there  is  a  show  made  of  it  in 
the  words  and  actions.  In  this  sense  it  is 
said  in  the  fifty-first  psalm,  "Behold  thou 
desirest  truth  in  the  inward  parts."  And  in 
this  view,  it  is,  that  sincerity  is  sjDoken  of  in 
the  Scriptures  as  the  opposite  of  hypocrisy, 
and  that  a  sincere  Christian  is  said  to  be  one 
that  is  such  indeed  as  he  appears  to  be — one 


90  PERFOEMANCES    AND   SUFFEKINGS 


"without  guile,"  Jolm  i.  47.  Examine  your- 
self, therefore,  with  respect  to  this  matter. 
If  in  your  outward  actions,  there  is  an  appear- 
ance or  show  of  respect  to  God,  inquire  if  it 
be  only  external,  or  if  it  be  sincerely  felt  in 
your  heart ;  for  without  real  love  or  charity 
you  are  nothing.     The 

Second  thing,  in  the  nature  of  sincerity,  is 
freedom.  On  this  account,  especially,  the 
obedience  of  Christians  is  called  filial,  or  the 
obedience  of  children,  because  it  is  an  ingen- 
uous, free  obedience,  and  not  legal,  slavish, 
and  forced,  but  that  which  is  performed  from 
love  and  with  delight.  God  is  chosen  for  his 
own  sake ;  and  holiness  for  its  sake,  and  for 
God's  sake.  Christ  is  chosen  and  followed 
because  he  is  loved,  and  religion  because  it  is 
loved,  and  the  soul  rejoices  in  it,  finding  in 
its  duties  its  highest  happiness  and  delight. 
Examine  yourself  faithfully  on  this  point, 
whether  or  no  this  spirit  is  yours.     The 

Third  thing,  belonging  to  the  nature  of  this 
sincerity,  is  integrity.  The  word  signifies 
wholeness^  intimating  that  where  this  sincerity 
exists,  God  is  sought,  and  religi(.)n  is  chosen 
and  embraced  with  the  whole  heart,  and  ad- 
hered to  with  the   whole  soul.     Holiness  is 


V^AIX    WITHOUT    CIIAKITY.  91 


chosen  with  the  whole  heart.  The  whole  of 
duty  is  embraced,  and  entered  upon  most 
cordially,  whether  it  have  respect  to  God  or 
to  man,  whether  it  be  easy  or  difficult,  whether 
it  have  reference  to  little  things  or  great. 
There  is  a  proportion  and  fulness  in  the  char- 
acter. The  whole  man  is  renewed.  The 
whole  body,  and  soul,  and  spirit  are  sanctified. 
Every  member  is  yielded  to  the  obedience  of 
Christ.  All  the  parts  of  the  new  creature  are 
brought  into  subjection  to  his  will.  The  seeds 
of  all  holy  dispositions  are  implanted  in  the 
soul,  and  they  will  more  and  more  bear  fruit 
in  the  performance  of  duty  and  for  the  glory 
of  God.     The 

Fourth  thing,  that  belongs  to  the  nature  of 
sincerity,  is  jpurity.  The  word  sincere  often 
signifies  pure.  So  in  1  Peter  ii.  2,  "  As  new- 
born babes,  desire  the  sincere  milk  of  the 
word,  that  ye  may  grow  thereby ;"  i,  e.  pure, 
unmixed,  unadulterated.  This  appears  in  the 
opposition  of  virtue  to  sin.  The  one  is  spoken 
of  as  defilement,  and  impurity,  and  unclean- 
ness :  the  other,  as  that  which  is  free  from 
these  things.  The  apostle  compares  sin  to  a 
body  of  death,  or  a  dead  body,  which  of  all 
things  is  most  polluting  and  defiling,  while 


92  PERFOEMANC^KS    AND    SUFFERINGS 


holiness  is  spaken  of  as  purity,  and  holy 
pleasures  as  pure  pleasures,  and  the  saints  in 
heaven  as  without  spot  before  the  throne  of 
God.  Inquire  then,  whether  this  purity  is 
yours,  and  whether  in  its  possession 'you  find 
the  evidence  that  you  sincerely  love  God. 
This  subject  may,  also, 

2.  Convince  those  lulio  are  still  in  an  unre- 
generate  state^  of  tliew  lost  condition. — If  it 
be  indeed  so,  that  by  all  you  can  eitlier  do  or 
suffer,  you  cannot  make  up  for  the  want  of  a 
holy,  sincere  principle  of  love  in  your  heart, 
then  it  will  follow  that  you  are  in  an  undone 
condition  till  you  have  obtained  God's  re- 
generating grace  to  renew  a  right  spirit  within 
you  ;  and  tliat  do  what  you  will,  or  undergo 
and  suffer  what  you  will,  you  cannot  be  de- 
livered from  your  wickedness  without  the 
converting  grace  of  God.  If  you  make  ever 
so  many  prayers,  that  will  not  make  your 
case  less  miserable,  unless  God,  by  his  mighty 
power,  is  pleased  to  give  you  a  new  heart.  If 
you  take  ever  so  much  pains  in  religion,  and 
cross  and  deny  yourself,  and  do  or  suffer 
ever  so  much,  all  will  not  avail  without  this. 
Therefore  whatever  you  have  done,  though 
you  can  look  back  upon  a  great  many  prayers 


VATjq    WITHOUT   CHARITY.  93 


offered,  and  much  time  spent  in  reading  and 
meditation,  you  have  no  reason  to  think  that 
these  things  have  made  any  atonement  for 
your  sins,  or  rendered  your  case  any  the  less 
deplorable,  or  left  you  any  other  than  a 
wretched,  lost,  miserable,  guilty  and  ruined 
creature. 

I^atural,  unrenewed  men,  would  be  glad  to 
have  something  to  make  up  for  the  want  of 
sincere  love  and  real  grace  in  their  hearts  ; 
and  many  do  great  things  to  make  up  for  the 
want  of  it,  while  others  are  willing  to  suffer 
great  things.  But  alas  !  how  little  does  it  all 
signify !  'No  matter  what  they  may  do  or 
suffer,  it  does  not  change  their  character ;  and 
if  they  build  their  hopes  upon  it,  they  do  but 
delude  themselves,  and  feed  upon  the  East 
wind.  If  such  be  your  case,  consider  how 
miserable  you  will  be  Avhile  you  live  without 
hope  in  the  only  true  source  of  hope,  and  how 
miserable  when  you  come  to  die,  when  the 
sight  of  the  king  of  terrors  will  show  the 
nothingness  and  vanity  of  all  your  doings  ! 
How  miserable  when  you  see  Christ  coming 
to  judgment  in  the  clouds  of  heaven  !  Then 
you  will  be  willing  to  do  and  suffer  anything, 
that  you  niaj  be  accepted  by  him.     But  doings 


94  PEEFOKMANCES   AND   SUFFERINGS 


or  sufferings  will  not  avail.  They  will  not 
afone  for  your  sins,  or  give  you  God's  favor, 
or  save  you  from  the  overwhelming  storms  of 
his  wrath.  Rest,  then,  on  nothing  that  you 
have  done  or  suffered,  or  that  you  can  do  or 
suffer  ;  but  rest  on  Christ.  Let  your  heart  be 
filled  with  sincere  love  to  him  ;  and  then,  at 
the  last  great  day,  he  will  own  you  as  his 
follower  and  as  his  friend.     The  subject, 

3.  Exhorts  all^  earnestly  to  cherish  sincere 
Christian  love  in  their  hearts. — If  it  be  so, 
that  this  is  of  such  great  and  absolute  necessity, 
then  let  it  be  the  one  great  thing  that  you 
seek.  Seek  it  with  diligence  and  prayer ; 
and  seek  it  of  God,  and  not  of  yourself.  He 
only  can  bestow  it.  It  is  something  far  above 
the  unassisted  power  of  nature  ;  for  though 
there  may  be  great  performances,  and  great 
Bufferings,  too,  yet  without  sincere  love  they 
are  all  in  vain.  Such  doings  and  sufferings 
may,  indeed,  be  required  of  us,  as  the  followers 
of  Christ,  and  in  the  way  of  duty  ;  but-  we  are 
not  to  rest  in  them,  or  feel  that  they  have  any 
merit  or  worthiness  in  themselves.  At  best 
they  are  but  tlie  outward  evidence  and  the 
outflowing  of  a  right  spirit  in  the  heart.  Be 
exhorted,  then,  as  the  great  thing,  to  cherish 


VAIN    WITHOUT    CHARITY.  95 


Bincere  love,  or  Christian  charity  in  the  heart. 
It  is  that  which  von  must  have  ;  and  there  is 
nothing  that  will  help  yonr  case  w^ithout  it. 
Without  it,  all  will,  in  some  respects,  but  tend 
to  deepen  your  condemnation,  and  to  sink  you 
to  but  lower  depths  in  the  wori  i  of  despair  I 


T,ECTURE  IV. 

CHAKITT      DISPOSES     US     MEEKLY     TO      BEAR     THH 
INJURIES    RECEIVED    FROM    OTHERS. 

"  Charity  suffereth  long  and  is  kind." — 1  Cokinthians  xiii,  4 

The  Apostle,  in  tlie  previous  verses,  as  we 
Lave  seen,  sets  forth  how  great  and  essential 
a  thing  charity,  or  a  spirit  of  Christian  love,  is, 
in  Christianity  :  that  it  is  far  more  necessary 
and  excellent  than  any  of  the  extraordinary 
gifts  of  the  Spirit ;  that  it  far  exceeds  all  ex- 
ternal performances  and  sufferings ;  and,  in 
short,  that  it  is  the  sum  of  all  that  is  distin- 
guishing and  saving  in  Christianity — the  very 
life  and  soul  of  all  religion,  without  which, 
though  we  give  all  our  goods  to  feed  the  poor, 
and  our  bodies  to  be  burned,  we  are  nothing. 
And  now  he  proceeds,  as  his  subject  naturally 
leads  him,  to  show  the  excellent  nature  of 
charity,  by  describing  its  several  amiable  and 


CHARITY    DISPOSES    US    MEEKLY.  97 


excellent  fruits.  In  the  text  two  of  these 
fruits  are  mentioned :  suffering  long^  which 
has  respect  to  the  evil  or  injury  received  from 
others  ;  and  heing  Jciiid^  which  has  respect  to 
the  good  to  be  done  to  others.  Dwelling,  for 
the  present,  on  the  first  of  these  points,  I 
would  endeavor  to  show, 

That  charity,  or  a  truly  Christian  spirit, 
will  dispose  us  meekly  to  bear  the  evil  that 
is  received  from  others,  or  the  injuries  that 
others  may  do  to  us. 

Meekness  is  a  great  part  of  the  Christian 
spirit.  Christ,  in  that  earnest  and  touching 
call  and  invitation  of  his  that  w^e  have  in  the 
eleventh  chapter  of  Matthew,  in  which  he  in- 
vites all  that  labor  and  are  heavy-laden  to 
come  to  himself  for  rest,  particularly  men- 
tions, that  he  would  have  them  come,  to  learii 
of  him  ;  for  he  adds,  "  I  am  meek  and  lowly 
of  heart."  And  meekness,  as  it  respects  in- 
juries received  from  men,  is  called  long-suf- 
fering in  tlie  Scriptures,  and  is  often  men- 
tioned as  an  exercise,  or  fruit  of  the  Christian 
spirit  (Galatians,  v.  22) :  "  But  the  fruit  of 
the  Spirit  is  love,  joy,  peace,  long-suffering  ;" 
and  (Ephesians  iv.  1,  2) :  "  I,  therefore,  the 
prisoner  of  the  Lord,  beseech  you  that  ye  walk 


98  CHAEITY   DISPOSES   FS   MEEKLY 


worthy  of  the  vocation  wherewith  je  are 
called,  with  all  lowliness,  and  meekness,  with 
long-suffering,  e^c. ;"  and  Colosians  iii.  12, 
13  :  "Put  on  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God, 
holy  and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness, 
humbleness  of  mind,  meekness,  long-suffering; 
forbearing  one  another,  and  forgiving  one  an- 
other, if  any  man  have  a  quarrel  against  any  ; 
even  as  Christ  forgave  you,  so  also  do  ye." 

In  dwelling  more  fully  on  this  point,  I 
would,  1.  Take  notice  of  some  of  the  various 
kinds  of  injuries  that  we  may  receive  from 
others ;  2.  Show  what  is  meant  by  meekly 
bearing  such  injuries  ;  and,  3.  How  that  love 
which  is  the  sum  of  the  Christian  spirit,  will 
dispose  us  to  do  this.     And, 

I.  I  v^ould  hriefiy  notice  some  of  the  various 
hinds  of  injuries  that  we  may  or  do  receive  from 
others. — Some  injure  others  in  their  estates,  by 
unfairness  and  dishonesty  in  their  dealings,  by 
being  fraudulent  and  deceitful  with  them,  or  at 
least  by  leading  them  to  act  in  the  dal'k,  and 
taking  advantage  of  their  ignorance;  or  by  op- 
pressing them,  taking  advantage  of  their  neces- 
sities ;  or  by  unfaithfulness  towards  them,  not 
fulfilling  their  pj'omises  and  engagements,  and 
being  slack  and  slighting  in  any  business  they 


TO  BEAR  INJURIES  FROM  OTHERS.     99 


are  employed  in  by  their  neighbors,  aiming  at 
nothing  but  just  to  meet  the  letter  of  their  en- 
gagements, and  not  being  careful  to  improve 
their  time  to  the  utmost  in  accomplishing  that 
which  they  are  engaged  to  do ;  or  by  asking 
unreasonable  prices  for  what  they  do ;  or  by 
withholding  what  is  due,  from  their  neigh- 
bors, unjustly,  neglecting  to  pay  their  debts, 
or  unnecessarily  putting  their  neighbors  to 
trouble  and  difficulty  to  get  what  is  due  from 
them.  And  besides  these,  there  are  many 
other  methods  in  which  men  injure  one  an- 
other in  their  dealings,  by  an  abundance  of 
crooked  and  perverse  ways  in  which  they  are 
far  from  doing  to  others  as  they  would  have 
them  do  to  themselves,  and  by  which  they  pro- 
voke, and  irritate,  and  injure  one  another. 

Some  injure  others  in  their  good  name,  by 
reproaching  or  speaking  evil  of  them  behind 
their  backs.  jN'o  injury  is  more  common,  and 
no  iniquity  more  frequent  or  base  than  this. 
Other  ways  of  injury  are  abundant ;  but  the 
amount  of  injury  by  evil-speaking  of  this  kind, 
is  beyond  account.  Some  injure  others  by 
making  or  spreading  false  reports  about  them, 
and  so  cruelly  slandering  them.  Others, 
without  saying  that  which  is  directly  false, 


100  CHAEITY   DISPOSES    US   MEEKLY 


greatly  misrepresent  things,  picturing  out 
everything  respecting  their  neighbors  in  the 
worst  colors,  exaggerating  their  faults,  and 
setting  them  forth  as  far  greater  than  they 
really  are,  always  speaking  of  them  in  an  un- 
fair and  unjust  manner.  A  great  deal  of 
injury  is  done  among  neighbors  by  thus  un- 
charitably judging  one  another,  and  putting 
injurious  and  evil  constructions  on  one  an- 
other's M^ords  and  actions. 

Persons  may  greatly  injure  others  in  their 
thoughts,  by  unjustly  entertaining  mean 
thoughts,  or  a  low  esteem  of  them.  Some  are 
deeply  and  continually  injurious  toothers,  by 
the  contempt  they  habitually  have  of  them  in 
their  hearts,  and  by  their  willingness  to  think 
the  worst  about  them.  And,  as  the  outflowing 
of  the  thoughts,  a  great  deal  is  done  to  the  injury 
of  others  by  the  words  ; — 'for  the  tongue  is  but 
too  ready  to  be  the  wicked  instrument  of  ex- 
pressing the  evil  thouglits  and  feelings  of  the 
soul,  and  hence  in  the  Scriptures  (Jo*b  v.  21), 
it  is  called  a  scourge,  and  is  compared  (Ps. 
cxl.  3)  to  the  fangs  of  some  very  ^joisonous 
kinds  of  serpents,  whose  bite  is  supposed  to 
cause  death. 

Sometimes  raen  injure  others  in  their  treat- 


TO    BEAR    INJURIES    FROM    OTHERS.  101" 


ment  and  actions  towards  them,  and  in  the 
injurious  deeds  they  do  them.  If  clothed  with 
authority,  they  sometimes  carry  themselves 
very  injuriously  toward  those  over  whom  their 
authority  extends,  by  behaving  very  assum- 
ingly,  and  magisterially,  and  tyrannically  to- 
ward them ;  and  sometimes  those  who  are 
under  authority,  carry  tliemselves  very  inju- 
riously toward  those  who  are  over  them,  by 
denying  them  that  respect  and  honor  which 
are  due  to  their  places,  and  thus  to  themselves 
while  they  occupy  them.  Some  carry  them- 
selves very  injuriously  toward  others  by  the 
exercise  of  a  very  selfisli  spirit,  seeming  to  be 
all  for  themselves,  and  apparently  having  no 
regard  to  the  good  or  benefit  of  their  neigh- 
bor, but  all  their  contrivance  is  only  to  better 
their  own  interests.  Some  carry  themselves 
injuriously  in  the  manifestation  of  a  very 
haughty  and  proud  spirit,  as  though  they 
thought  they  were  more  excellent  than  all 
others,  and  that  nobody  was  at  all  to  be  re- 
garded except  themselves  alone ;  and  this 
appears  in  their  air,  and  talk,  and  actions,  and 
their  greatly  assuming  behavior  in  general, 
all  of  which  are  such,  that  those  about  them 
feel  and  justly  feel,  that  they  are  injured  by 


102  CHAEITY   DISPOSES    US   MEEKLY 


them.  Some  carry  themselves  very  injn 
rioTisly  by  the  exercise  of  a  very  wilful  spirit, 
being  so  desperately  set  on  having  their  own 
way,  that  they  will,  if  possible,  bend  every- 
thing to  their  own  will,  and  never  will  alter 
their  career,  or  yield  to  the  wishes  of  others  : 
they  shut  their  eyes  against  the  light  or  mo- 
tives others  may  offer,  and  have  no  regard  to 
any  one's  inclination  but  their  own,  being 
always  perverse  and  wilful  in  having  their 
own  way.  Some  carry  themselves  injurious- 
ly  in  the  course  they  take  in  public  affairs, 
acting  not  so  much  from  a  regard  for  the  pub- 
lic good,  as  from  the  spirit  of  opposition  to 
some  party,  or  to  some  particular  person ;  so 
that  the  party  or  person  opposed  is  injured, 
and  oftentimes  is  greatly  provoked  and  exas- 
perated. Some  injure  others  by  the  malicious 
and  wicked  spirit  they  cherish  against  them, 
whether  with  or  without  cause.  It  is  not  an 
uncommon  thing  for  neighbors  to  dislike  and 
even  hate  one  another ;  not  cherishing  any- 
thing like  love  to  each  other  in  their  hearts, 
but  whether  they  acknowledge  it  or  not,  in 
reality  hating  one  another,  having  no  deliglit 
in  each  other's  honor  and  prosjoerity,  but,  on 
the  contrary,  being  pleased  when  they  are  cast 


TO  BEAR  IXJURIES  FROM  OTHERS.     103 


down  and  in  adversity,  foolishly  and  wickedl}/ 
thinking,  perhaps,  that  another's  fall  is  their 
own  elevation,  which  it  never  is.  Some  in- 
jure others  by  the  spirit  of  envy  they  show 
toward  them,  cherishing  ill-will  towaixl  them 
for  no  other  reason  than  for  the  honor  and 
j)rosperity  they  enjoy.  Many  injure  others 
from  a  spirit  of  revenge,  deliberately  return- 
ing evil  for  evil,  for  real  or  imaginary  injuries 
received  from  them ;  and  some,  as  long  as 
they  live,  will  keep  up  a  grudge  in  their 
hearts  against  their  neighbor,  and  whenever 
an  opportunity  offers,  will  act  it  out  in  injury 
to  him  in  the  spirit  of  malice.  And  in  innu- 
merable other  particular  ways  which  might 
be  mentioned,  do  men  injure  one  another; 
though  these  may  suffice  for  our  present  pur- 
pose.    But, 

II.  I  would  go  on  to  show  luhai  is  meant  hy 
meeJdy  Ijearimj  such  injuries^  or  how  they 
ought  ineeMy  to  he  home. — And  here  I  would 
show,  first,  the  nature  of  the  duty  enjoined  ; 
and  then  why  it  is  called  long-suffering,  or 
Buffering  long.     And, 

1.  I  would  shoio  the  naturae  of  tlie  duty  of 
meekly  hearing  the  injuries  we  suffer  from 
others.     And, 


104  CIIAEITY    DISPOSES    US    MEEKLY 


Fiist^  It  implies  that  injuries  offered  should 
he  home  uithout  doing  anytJdng  to  revenge 
them. — Tliere  are  many  ways  in  wliicli  men 
do  that  which  is  revengeful ;  not  merely  by 
actually  bringing  some  immediate '  suffering 
on  the  one  that  may  have  injured  them,  but 
by  anything  either  in  speech  or  behavior,  which 
shows  a  bitterness  of  spirit  against  him  for 
what  he  has  done.  Thus,  if  after  we  are  of- 
fended or  injured,  we  speak  reproachfully  to 
our  neighbor,  or  of  him  to  others,  with  a  de- 
sign to  lower  or  injure  him,  and  that  we  may 
gratify  the  bitter  spirit  we  feel  in  our  hearts 
for  the  injury  that  neighbor  has  done  us,  this 
is  revenge.  He,  therefore,  that  exercises  a 
Christian  long-suffering  toward  his  neighbor, 
will  bear  the  injuries  received  from  him  with- 
out revenging  or  retaliating,  either  by  inju- 
rious deeds  or  bitter  words.  lie  will  bear  it 
without  doing  anytlnng  against  his  neighbor 
tliat  shall  manifest  the  spirit  of  resentment, 
without  speaking  to  him,  or  of  him;-  with  re- 
vengeful words,  and  Avithout  allowing  a  re- 
vengeful spirit  in  his  heart,  or  manifesting  it 
in  his  behavior.  lie  will  recei\'e  all  with  a 
calm,  undisturbed  countenance,  and  with  a 
soul  full  of  meekness,  quietness  and  goodness  ; 


TO    BEAE   INJURIES    FROM   OTHERS.  10-^ 


and  this  he  will  manifest  in  all  his  behavioi 
to  the  one  that  has  injured  him,  whether  to 
his  face  or  behind  his  back.  Hence,  it  is 
that  this  virtue  is  recommended  in  the  Scrip 
lures  under  the  names  of  gentleness,  or  as 
always  connected  with  it,  as  may  be  seen  in 
James  iii.  17,  and  Galatians  v.  22.  In  him 
that  exercises  the  Christian  spirit  as  he  ought, 
there  will  not  be  a  passionate,  rash,  or  liasty 
expression,  or  a  bitter,  exasj^erated  counte- 
nance, or  an  air  of  violence  in  the  talk  or  be- 
havior ;  but,  on  the  contrary,  the  countenance 
and  words  and  demeanor,  will  all  manifest 
the  savor  (>f  2:)eaceableness  and  calmness  and 
gentleness.  He  may  perhaps  reprove  his 
neighbor.  This  may  clearly  be  his  duty.  But 
if  he  does,  it  will  be  without  impoliteness,  and 
without  that  severity  that  can  tend  only  to 
exasperate  ;  and  though  it  may  be  with 
strength  of  reatson  and  argument,  and  with 
plain  and  decided  expostulation,  it  will  still 
be  without  angry  reflections,  or  contemptuous 
language.  He  may  show  a  disapprobation 
of  what  has  been  done  ;  bat  it  will  be  not 
with  an  apj^earance  of  high  resentment,  but 
as  reproving  the  offender  for  a  sin  against 
God,  rather  than  as  for  the   offence  against 


106  CHAKITY   DISPOSES    US    MEEKLY 


himself;  as  lameiituig  his  calamity,  more  than 
resenting  his  injury;  as  seeking  his  good,  not 
his  hurt ;  and  as  one  that  more  desires  to  de- 
liver the  offender  out  of  the  error  into  which 
he  has  fallen,  than  to  be  even  with  him  for  the 
injury  done  to  himself.  The  duty  enjoined 
also  implies, 

SeconWy^  That  injuries  be  borne  with  the 
continuance  of  love  in  the  hearty  and  without 
those  inward  emotions  and  passions  that  tend 
to  interru])t  and  destroy  it. — Injuries  should 
be  borne,  where  we  are  called  to  suffer  them, 
not  only  without  manifesting  an  evil  and  re- 
vengeful spirit  in  our  words  and  actions,  but 
also  without  such  a  spirit  in  the  heart.  We 
should  not  onh^  control  our  passions  wdien  we 
are  injured,  and  refrain  from  giving  vent  to 
outward  revenge,  but  the  injury  should  be 
borne  without  the  spirit  of  revenge  in  the 
lieart.  I^ot  only  a  smooth  external  behavior 
should  be  continued,  but  also  a  sincere  love 
with  it.  We  should  not  cease  to  love  our 
neighbor  because  he  has  injured  us.  We  may 
pity,  but  not  hate  him  for  it.  The  duty  en- 
joined also  implies. 

Thirdly.,  That  injuries  be  borne  without  our 
losimj  the  ruietjiess  and  repose  of  our  ovjn 


TO    BEAU   INJUEIES    FROM    OTHERS.  107 


minds  and  hearts. — They  should  not  only  ])e 
borne  without  a  rough  behavior,  but  with  a 
continuance  of  inward  calmness  and  repose 
of  spirit.  When  the  injuries  we  suffer  are  al- 
lowed to  disturb  our  calmness  of  mind,  and 
put  us  into  an  excitement  and  tumult,  then  we 
cease  to  bear  them  in  the  true  spirit  of  long- 
suffering.  If  the  injury  is  2)ermitted  to  dis- 
compose and  disquiet  us,  and  to  break  up  our 
inward  rest,  we  cannot  enjoy  ourselves,  and 
are  not  in  a  state  to  engage  properly  in  our 
various  duties  ;  and  especially  we  are  not  in  a 
state  for  religious  duties — for  prayer  and 
meditation.  And  such  a  state  of  mind  is  the 
contrary  of  the  spirit  of  long-suffering  and 
meekly  bearing  of  injuries  that  is  spoken  of 
in  the  text.  Christians  ought  still  to  keep  the 
calmness  and  serenity  of  their  minds  undis- 
turbed, whatever  injuries  they  may  suffer. 
Their  souls  should  be  serene,  and  not  like  the 
unstable  surface  of  the  water,  disturbed  by 
every  wind  that  blows.  No  matter  what  evil  a 
they  may  suffer,  or  what  injuries  may  be  in- 
flicted on  them,  they  should  still  act  on  the 
principle  of  the  words  of  the  Saviour  to  his 
disciples  (Luke  xxi.  19):  "In  your  patience, 


108  CHARITY    DISPOSES    US    IMEEKLY 


possess  ye  your  souls."      The  duty  we   are 
speaking  of,  also  implies,  once  more, 

Fourthly^  Tliat  in  many  cases  wlien  we  are 
injured,  ids  should  he  iDiUing  to  suffer  m.u(  h 
in  our  interests  and  feelings  for  the  sake  of 
peace^  rather  than  do  what  we  have  o]yportunitii ^ 
and  perhaps  the  rigid  to  do  in  defending  our- 
selves.— When  we  suffer  injuries  from  others, 
the  case  is  often  such  that  a  Christian  spirit, 
if  we  did  but  exercise  it  as  we  ought,  would 
dispose  us  to  forbear  taking  the  advantage 
we  may  have  to  vindicate  and  right  ourselves. 
For  by  doing  otherwise,  we  may  be  the  means 
of  bringing  very  great  calamity  on  him  that 
has  injured  us  ;  and  tenderness  toward  him 
may  and  ought  to  dispose  us  to  a  great  deal 
of  forbearance,  and  to  suffer  somewhat  our- 
selves, rather  than  bring  so  much  suffering  on 
liim.  And  besides,  such  a  course  would 
probably  lead  to  a  violation  of  peace,  and  to 
an  established  hostility,  whereas  in  this  way, 
there  may  be  hoj^e  of  gaining  our  neighbor, 
and  from  an  enemy  making  him  a  friend. 
These  things  are  manifest  from  what  the  apos- 
tle says  to  the  Corinthians  concerning  going 
to  law  one  with  another.  "  jN^ow,  therefore, 
there  is  utterly  a  fault  among  you,  because 


TO    BEAR   INJURIES   FROM   OTHERS.  109 


ye  go  to  law  one  with  anotlier.  'Why  do  ye 
not  rather  take  wrong  ?  Why  do  ye  not  rather 
sufFer  yourselves  to  be  defrauded?"  1  Corin- 
thians vi.  7.  ISot  that  all  endeavors  in  men  to 
defend  and  right  themselves,  when  they  are 
injured  by  others,  are  censurable,  or  that  they 
should  suffer  all  the  injuries  that  their  ene- 
mies please  to  bring  upon  them,  rather  than 
improve  an  opportunity  they  have  to  defend 
and  vindicate  themselves,  even  though  it  be 
to  the  damage  of  him  that  injures  them.  But 
in  many  and  probably  in  most  cases,  men 
ought  to  suffer  long  first,  in  the  spirit  of  the 
long-suffering  charity  of  the  text.  And  the 
case  may  often  be  such,  that  they  may  be 
called  to  suffer  considerably,  as  charity  and 
prudence  shall  direct,  for  the  sake  of  peace, 
and  from  a  sincere  Christian  love  to  the  one 
that  injures  them,  rather  than  deliver  them- 
selves in  the  way  they  may  have  opportunity 
for.  Having  thus  shown  what  is  imj)lied  in 
this  virtue,  I  would  now  show,  briefly, 

2.  Yf^^hyit  is  called  long-suffering^  or  suffir- 
ing  long, — And  it  seems  to  be  so  called,  espe- 
cially on  two  accounts  : — 

First,,  Because  we  ought  meekly  to  bear 
not  only  a  small  injury,,  hut  also  a  good  deal 


110  CHARITY    DISPOSES    TIS    MEEKLY 


ofinjurioits  treatment  from  others.  We  sliould 
jjersevere,  and  continue  in  a  quiet  frame, 
without  ceasing  still  to  love  our  neighbor,  not 
only  when  he  injures  us  a  little,  but  when  he 
injures  us  much,  and  the  injuries  he  does  us 
are  great.  And  we  should  not  only  thus  bear 
a  few  injuries,  but  a  great  many,  and  though 
our  neighbor  continues  his  injurious  treatment 
to  us  for  a  long  time.  When  it  is  said  that 
charity  suffers  long,  we  cannot  infer  from 
this,  that  we  are  to  bear  injuries  meekly  for 
a  season,  and  that  after  that  season  we  may 
cease  thus  to  bear  them.  The  meaning  is  not 
that  we  must,  indeed,  bear  injuries  for  a  long 
time,  but  may  cease  to  bear  them  at  last. 
But  it  is  that  we  should  meekly  continue  to 
bear  them,  though  they  are  long  continued, 
even  to  the  end.  The  spirit  of  long-suffering 
should  never  cease.  And  it  is  called  long- 
suffering. 

Secondly.^  Because  in  some  cases  we  should 
1)6  willing  to  suffer  a  great  while  in.mir  in- 
terests.^ he  fore  we  improve  opportunities  of 
righting  ourselves.  Though  we  may  defend 
ourselves  at  last,  when  we  are  driven,  as  it 
were,  by  necessity  to  it,  yet  we  are  not  to  do 
it  out  of  revenge,  or  to  injure  him  that  has 


TO    BEAR    INJURIES    FROM    OTHERS.  Ill 


injured  us,  but  only  for  needful  self-defence  ; 
and  even  this,  in  many  cases,  is  to  be  given 
up  for  peace,  and  out  of  a  Christian  spirit 
toward  him  that  has  injured  us,  and  lest  we 
eliould  do  injury  to  liira.  Having  thus  shown 
in  what  ways  we  are  often  injured  by  others, 
and  what  is  implied  in  meekly  bearing  the 
injuries  thus  inflicted,  I  come  now  to  show, 

III.  How  that  love  or  charity  which  is  the 
sum  of  the  Christian  spirit^  will  dispose  tis 
meekly  to  hear  such  injuries. — And  this  may 
be  shown  both  in  reference  to  love  to  God, 
and  love  to  our  neighbors.     And, 

1.  Love  to  God  and  the  Lord  Jesus  Christy 
has  a  tendency  to  dispose  us  to  this.     For, 

First.,  Love  to  God  disposes  us  to  imitate 
him,  and  therefore  disposes  us  to  such  long- 
suffering  as  he  manifests.  Long-suffering  is 
often  spoken  of  as  one  of  the  attributes  of  God. 
In  Exodus  xxxiv.  6,  it  is  said,  "  And  the  Lord 
passed  by  before  him,  and  proclaimed,  the 
Lord,  the  Lord  God,  merciful  and  gracious, 
louix-sufferinff,  &c."  And  in  Romans  ii.  4,  the 
apostle  asks,  "  Despisest  thou  the  riches  of  his 
goodness,  and  forbearance,  and  long-suffer- 
ing V  The  long-suffering  of  God  is  very 
wundei-fully  manifest  in  his  bearing  innumera- 


112  CHAEITT    DISPOSES    TS    MEEKLY 


ble  injuries  from  men,  and  injm'ies  that  are 
very  great,  and  long  continued.  If  we  con- 
sider the  wickedness  that  there  is  in  the 
world,  and  then  consider  how  God  continnea 
the  world  in  existence,  and  does  not -destroy 
it,  but  showers  upon  it  innumerable  mercies, 
the  bounties  of  liis  daily  providence  and  grace, 
causing  his  sun  to  rise  on  the  evil  and  on  the 
good,  and  sending  rain  alike  upon  the  just  and 
the  unjust,  and  offering  his  spiritual  blessings 
ceaselessly  and  to  all,  we  shall  perceive  how 
abundant  is  his  long-suffering  toward  us. 
And  if  we  consider  his  long-suffering  to  some 
of  the  great  and  populous  cities  of  the  world, 
and  think  how  constantly  the  gifts  of  his 
goodness  are  bestowed  on  and  consumed  by 
them,  and  then  consider  how  great  the  wick- 
edness of  these  vevy  cities,  it  will  show  us 
how  amazingly  great  is  his  long-suffering. 
And  the  same  long-suffering  has  been  mani- 
fest to  very  many  particular  persons,  in  all 
ages  of  the  world.  He  is  long-suffeiing  to 
the  sinners  that  he  spares,  and  to  whom  he 
offers  his  mercy,  even  while  they  are  rebelling 
against  him.  And  he  is  long-sjiffering  toward 
his  own  elect  people,  many  of  whom  long  lived 
in  sin,  and  des]  ised  alike  his  goodness  and  his 


TO  BEAR  INJURIES  FROM  OTHERS.     113 


wrath  :  and  yet  he  bore  long  with  them,  even 
to  the  end,  till  they  were  bronglit  to  repent- 
ance, and  made,  throngh  his  grace,  vessels 
of  mercy  and  glory.  And  this  mercy  he 
showed  to  them  even  while  they  were  enemies 
and  rebels,  as  the  apostle  tells  iis  was  the  case 
with  himself.  "  And  I  thank  Christ  Jesns  onr 
Lord,  who  hath  enabled  me,  for  that  he  count- 
ed me  faithful,  ^^ntting  me  into  the  ministry  ; 
who  was  before  a  bUisphemer,  and  a  persecu- 
tor, and  injurious  ;  but  I  obtained  mercy,  be- 
cause I  did  it  ignorantly  in  unbelief.  And 
the  grace  of  our  Lord  was  exceeding  abundant 
with  faith  and  love  which  is  in  Christ  Jesus. 
This  is  a  faithful  saying,  and  worthy  of  all 
acceptation,  that  Christ  Jesus  came  into  the 
world  to  save  sinners  ;  of  whom  I  am  chief. 
Howbeit  for  this  cause  I  obtained  mercy,  that 
in  me  first  Jesus  Christ  might  show  forth  all 
long-suffering,  for  a  pattern  to  them  which 
should  hereafter  believe  on  him  to  life  ever- 
lasting "  1  Timothy  i.  12-16.  I^ow  it  is  the 
nature  of  love,  at  least  in  reference  to  a 
superior,  that  it  always  incliues  and  disposes 
to  imitat'on  of  liim.  A  child's  love  to  his 
father  disposes  him  to  imitate  his  father,  aud 
especially  does  the  love  of  God's  children  dis* 


114  CHARITY   DISPOSES    US    MEEKLY 


pose  tliem  to  imitate  tlieir  heavenly  Father 
And  as  he  is  long-suffering,  so  they  should 
be.     And, 

Secondly^  Love  to  God  will  dispose  us  thus 
to  express  our  gratitude  for  his  long-suffering, 
exercised  toward  us.  Love  not  only  disposes 
to  imitate,  but  it  works  by  gratitude.  And 
they  that  love  God,  will  be  thankful  to  him 
for  the  abundant  long-suffering  that  he  has 
exercised  toward  them  in  particular.  They 
that  love  God  as  they  ought,  will  have  such  a 
sense  of  his  wonderful  long-suffering  toward 
them  under  the  many  injuries  they  have 
offered  to  him,  that  it  will  seem  to  them  but 
a  small  thing  to  bear  with  the  injuries  that 
have  been  offered  to  them  by  their  fellow-men. 
All  the  injuries  they  have  ever  received  from 
others,  in  comparison  with  those  they  have 
offered  to  God,  will  appear  less  than  a  few 
pence  in  conij^arison  with  ten  thousand  talents. 
And  as  they  thankfully  accej)t  of  and  admire 
God's  long-suffering  toward  themselves,  so 
they  cannot  but  testify  their  approbation  of 
it,  and  their  gratitude  for  it,  by  manifesting, 
so  far  as  they  are  able,  the  same  long-suffer- 
ing to  others.  For  if  they  should  refuse  to 
exercise  long-suffering  toward  those  that  have 


TO    BEAK    INJURIES    FROM    OTHERS.  Hi 


injured  them,  tliej  would  practically  dis- 
approve of  God's  long-suffering  toward  them- 
selves ;  for  what  we  truly  approve  of  and  de- 
light in,  we  shall  not  practically  reject.  And 
then  gratitude  for  God's  long-suffering,  will 
also  dispose  us  to  obedience  to  God  in  this 
particular,  when  he  connnands  us  to  be  long- 
suffering  toward  others.     And  so,  again. 

Thirdly^  Love  to  God  tends  to  humility^ 
which  is  one  main  root  of  a  meek  and  long- 
suffering  spirit.  Love  to  God,  as  it  exalts 
him,  tends  to  low  thoughts  and  estimates  of 
ourselves,  and  leads  to  a  deep  sense  of  our 
unworthiness  and  our  desert  of  ill ;  because 
he  that  loves  God  is  sensible  of  the  hateful- 
ness  and  vileness  of  sin  committed  against  the 
being  that  he  loves.  And  discerning  an 
abundance  of  this  in  himself,  he  abhors  him- 
self in  his  own  eyes,  as  unworthy  of  any  good, 
and  deserving  of  all  evil.  Humility  is  always 
found  connected  with  long-suffering,  as  says 
the  apostle,  Ej^hesians  iv.  2  :  "  With  all  lowli- 
ness and  meekness,  with  long-suffering,  for- 
bearing one  another  in  love."  An  humble 
spirit  disinclines  us  to  indulge  resentment  of 
inj  uries  ;  for  he  that  is  little  and  unworthy  in 
his  own  eves,  will  not  think  so  much  of  an 


116  CHARITY    DISPOSES    US    MEEKLY 


iiijuiy  offered  to  him,  as  he  that  has  high 
thoughts  of  himself,  for  it  is  deemed  a  greater 
and  higher  enormity  to  offend  one  that  is  great 
and  high,  than  one  that  is  mean  and  vile.  It 
is  pride  or  self-conceit,  that  is  very  much  the 
foundation  of  a  high  and  bitter  resentment, 
and  of  an  unforgiving  and  revengeful  spirit. 
Again, 

FourtMy^  Love  to  God  disposes  men  to 
have  regard  to  the  hand  of  God  in  the  injuries 
they  suffer^  and  not  only  to  the  hand  of  man, 
and  meekly  to  submit  to  his  will  therein. 
Love  to  God  disposes  men  to  see  his  hand  in 
everything ;  to  own  him  as  the  governor  of 
the  world,  and  the  director  of  providence ; 
and  to  acknowledge  his  disposal  in  everything 
that  takes  place.  And  the  fact  that  the  hand 
of  God  is  a  great  deal  more  concerned  in  all 
that  happens  to  us  than  the  treatment  of  men 
is,  should  lead  us,  in  a  great  measure,  not  to 
think  of  things  as  from  men,  but  to  have 
respect  to  them  chiefly  as  from  -God — as 
ordered  by  his  love  and  wist«.>m,  even  w^hen 
their  immediate  source  may  be  the  malice  or 
heedlessness  of  a  fellow-man.  And  if  we 
indeed  consider  and  feel  that  tliey  are  from 
the  hand  of  God,  then  we  sliall  be  disposed 


TO  EEAR  INJURIES  FROM  OTHERS.     117 


meeidj  to  receive  and  quietly  to  submit  to 
them,  and  to  own  that  the  greatest  injuries 
received  from  men  are  justly  and  even  kindly 
ordered  of  God,  and  so  be  far  from  any  ruffle 
or  tumult  of  mind  on  account  of  them.  It 
was  with  this  view,  that  David  so  meekly  and 
quietly  bore  the  curses  of  Shimei,  when  he 
came  forth  and  cursed  and  cast  stones  at  him, 
2  Samuel  xvi.  5,  10 ;  saying  that  the  Lord 
had  bid  him  do  it,  and  therefore  forbidding 
his  followers  to  avenge  it.     And  once  more, 

Fiftlily^  Love  to  God  disposes  us  meekly  to 
bear  injuries  from  others,  because  it  sets  us 
very  much  above  the  injuries  of  men.  And 
it  does  so  in  two  respects.  In  the  first  place 
it  sets  us  above  the  reach  (>f  injuries  from 
others,  because  nothing  can  ever  really  hurt 
those  that  are  the  true  friends  of  God.  Their 
life  is  hid  with  Christ  in  God  ;  and  he  as  their 
protector  and  friend,  will  carry  them  on  high 
as  on  the  wings  of  eagles  ;  and  all  things  shall 
work  together  for  their  good ;  llomans  viii.  28^ 
and  none  shall  be  permitted  really  to  harm 
them,  Avhile  they  are  followers  of  that  whicli 
is  good,  1  Peter  iii.  13.  And  then,  in  the 
next  place,  as  love  to  God  prevails,  it  tends 
to  set  persons  above  human  injuries,  in  thia 


118  CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   MEEKLY 


sense,  that  the  more  they  love  God  the  mo^e 
they  will  place  all  their  happiness  in  him. 
They  will  look  to  God  as  their  all,  and  seeu 
their  happiness  and  portion  in  his  favor,  ana 
thus  not  in  the  allotments  of  his  providence 
alone.  The  more  they  love  God,  the  less  they 
set  their  hearts  on  their  worldly  interests, 
which  are  all  that  their  enemies  can  touch. 
Men  can  injure  God's  people  only  with  respect 
to  worldly  good.  But  the  more  a  man  loves 
God,  the  less  is  his  heart  set  on  the  things  of 
the  world,  and  the  less  he  feels  the  injuries 
that  his  enemies  may  inflict,  because  they 
cannot  reach  beyond  these  things.  And  so  it 
often  is  the  case,  that  the  friends  of  God 
hardly  think  the  injuries  they  receive  from 
men  are  worthy  of  the  name  of  injuries  ;  and 
the  calm  and  quietness  of  their  minds  are 
scarcely  disturbed  by  them.  And  as  long  as 
they  have  the  favor  and  friendship  of  God, 
they  are  not  much  concerned  about  the  evil 
work  and  injuries  of  men.  Love  to  God  and 
a  sense  of  his  favor,  disposes  them  to  say  of 
the  injuries  of  men,  w^hen  they  would  take 
from  them  their  worldly  enjoyments,  as  Me- 
pliibosheth  did  of  Ziba's  taking  the  Jand 
(2  Samuel  xix.  30):   "Yea,  let  him  take  all, 


TO  BEAE  INJURIES  FKOM  OTHERS.     119 


forasmucli  as  mj  lord  tlie  king  is  come  again 
in  peace  unto  his  own  house."  And  as  hjve 
to  God  will,  in  these  several  respects,  dispose 
us  to  long-suffering  under  injuries  from 
others,  so, 

2.  Love  to  OUT  neighhor  will  dispose  us  to 
the  same. — In  this  sense,  charit  j  suffers  long, — 
long-suffering  and  forbearance  are  always  the 
fruit  of  love.  As  the  Apostle  intimates 
(Ephesians  iv.  1,  2),  it  is  a  part  of  our  walk- 
ing worthily  of  the  Christian  vocation,  that 
we  walk  "  with  all  lowliness  and  meekness, 
with  long-suffering,  forbearing  one  another  in 
love."  Love  will  bear  with  a  multitude  of 
faults  and  offences,  and  will  incline  us  (Pro- 
verbs X.  12)  to  cover  all  sins.  So  we  see  by 
abundant  observation  and  experience.  Those 
that  we  have  a  great  and  strong  affection  for, 
we  always  bear  a  great  deal  more  from,  than 
from  those  that  we  dislike,  or  to  whom  we  are 
indifferent.  A  parent  will  bear  many  things 
in  his  own  child  that  he  would  greatly  repro- 
bate in  the  child  of  another,  and  a  friend  tol- 
erates many  things  in  the  friend  that  he  would 
not  in  a  stranger.  But  there  is  no  need  to 
multiply  words,  or  reasons,  on  this  branch  of 
the  subject,  for  it  is  exceedingly  plain  to  all 


120  CHARITY   DISPOSES    US   MEEKLY 


All  know  tliat  love  is  of  such  a  nature,  that  it 
is  directly  contrary  both  to  resentment  and 
revenge  ;  for  these  imply  ill-will,  which  is  the 
very  reverse  of  love,  and  cannot  exist  with  it. 
Without  dwelling,  then,  on  this  point,  I  pass, 
in  conclusion,  to  make  some  brief  improve- 
ment of  the  subject.     And, 

1.  It  exhorts  us  all  to  the  duty  of  meeMy 
hearing  the  injuries  that  may  he  receivedfrom 
others. — Let  what  has  been  said  be  improved 
by  us  to  suppress  all  wrath,  revenge,  and  bit- 
terness of  spirit,  toward  those  that  have  in- 
jured, or  that  may  at  any  time  injure  us : 
whether  they  injure  us  in  our  estates,  or  good 
names,  or  whether  they  abuse  us  with  their 
tongues  or  with  their  hands,  and  whether 
those  that  injure  us  are  our  superiors,  infe- 
riors or  equals.  Let  us  not  say  in  our  heart, 
I  will  do  to  him,  as  he  hath  done  to  me.  Let 
us  not  endeavor,  as  is  sometimes  said,  "to  be 
even  wdth  him,"  by  some  kind  of  retaliation, 
or  so  much  as  suffer  any  hatred  or  bitterness 
or  vindictiveness  of  spirit  to  rise  in  our 
hearts.  Let  us  endeavor,  under  all  injuries,  to 
preserve  the  calmness  and  quiet  of  our  spirits  ; 
and  be  ready  rather  to  suffer  considerably  in 
our  just  rights,  than  to  do  anything  that  may 


TO   BEAR   INJURIES   FROM   OTHERS.  121 


occasion  oiir  stirring  up,  and  living  in  strife 
and  contention.  To  this  end  I  would  offer 
for  consideration  the  following  motives. 

Firsts  Consider  the  exam/pie  that  Christ  has 
set  us.  He  was  of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit, 
and  of  a  most  long-suffering  behavior.  In 
2  Corinthians  x.  1,  we  are  told  by  the  Apostle, 
of  the  meekness  and  gentleness  of  Christ.  He 
meekly  bore  innumerable  and  very  great  in- 
juries from  men.  He  was  very  much  the  ob- 
ject of  bitter  contempt  and  reproach,  and 
slighted  and  despised  as  of  but  little  account. 
Though  he  was  the  Lord  of  glory,  yet  he  was 
set  at  naught  and  rejected  and  disesteemed 
of  men.  He  was  the  object  of  the  spite,  and 
malice,  and  bitter  revilings  of  the  very  ones 
he  came  to  save.  He  endured  the  contradic- 
tion of  sinners  against  himself.  He  was  called 
a  glutton,  and  a  drunkard ;  and  though  holy, 
harmless,  undefiled,  and  separate  from  sin- 
ners, yet  he  was  charged  with  being  a  friend 
of  publicans  and  sinners.  He  was  called  a 
deceiver  of  the  people,  and  oftentimes  (as  in 
John  X.  20,  and  vii.  20)  he  was  said  to  be 
mad,  and  possessed  with  the  devil.  Some- 
times they  reproached  him  (John  viii.  48) 
with  being  a  Samaritan  and  having  a  devil ; 


122  CHAKITY   DISPOSES    US   MEEKLY 


the  former  being  esteemed  by  the  Jews  as  the 
highest  reproach,  and  the  latter  as  implying 
the  most  diabolical  wickedness.  He  was  some- 
times charged  (John  x.  33)  with  being  a  wicked 
l^lasphemer,  and  one  that  deserved  death  on 
that  account.  Sometimes  they  charged  him 
with  working  miracles  by  the  power  and 
aid  of  Beelzebub  the  prince  of  devils,  and 
even  called  him  (Matthew  x.  25)  a  devil  him- 
self. And  such  was  their  sj)ite  against  him, 
that  they  had  agreed  (John  ix.  22)  to  excom- 
municate or  cast  out  of  the  synagogue  any  one 
that  should  say  that  he  was  the  Christ.  They 
hated  him  with  a  mortal  hatred,  and  wished 
he  was  dead,  and  from  time  to  time  endeav- 
ored to  murder  him,  yea,  were  almost  always 
endeavoring  to  imbrue  their  hands  in  his 
blood.  His  very  life  was  an  annoyance  to 
them,  and  they  hated  him  so  (Psalm  xli.  5) 
that  they  could  not  bear  that  he  should  live. 
We  very  often  read  (as  in  John  v.  16),  of 
their  seeking  to  kill  him.  And  what  pains  did 
many  of  them  take  to  watch  him  in  his  words, 
tliat  they  might  have  something  of  whicli  to 
accuse  him,  and  thus  be  able,  with  the  show 
of  reason,  to  put  him  to  death.  And  many 
times  they  combined  together  to  take  his  life 


TO    BEAR    INJURIES    FROM    OTHERS.  123 


in  this  manner.  They  often  actually  took  up 
stones  to  stone  him,  and  once  led  him  to  the 
brow  of  a  hill  that  they  might  cast  him  down, 
and  thus  dash  him  to  pieces.  And  yet  Christ 
meekly  bore  all  these  injuries,  without  re- 
sentment or  one  word  of  reproach  ;  and  with 
a  heavenly  quietness  of  spirit  passed  through 
them  all.  And  at  last,  when  he  was  most 
ignoininiously  dealt  with  of  all,  when  his 
professed  friend  betrayed,  and  his  enemies 
seized  him,  and  led  him  away  to  scourging 
and  the  death  of  the  cross,  he  went  as  a  lamb 
to  the  slaughter,  opening  not  his  mouth.  Not 
one  word  of  bitterness  escaped  him.  There 
was  no  interruption  of  the  calmness  of  his 
mind  under  his  heavy  distress  and  sufferings  ; 
nor  was  there  the  least  desire  for  reveno;e. 
But  on  the  contmry,  he  prayed  for  his  mur- 
derers that  they  might  be  forgiven,  even  when 
they  were  about  nailing  him  to  the  cross  ;  and 
not  onl}^  prayed  for  them,  but  pleaded  in  their 
behalf  with  his  Father,  that  they  knew  not 
what  they  did.  The  sufferings  of  his  life,  and 
the  agonies  of  his  death,  did  not  interrupt  his 
long-suffering  toward  those  that  injured  him. 
Second,  If  we  are  not  disposed  meekly  to 
bear  injuries,  we  are  not  fitted  to  live  in  the 


124  CHARITY   DISPOSES   IJS   IVIEEKLY 


worlds  for  in  it  we  must  expect  to  meet  with 
many  injuries  from  men.  We  do  not  dwell 
in  a  world  of  purity  and  innocence  and  love, 
but  in  oiie  that  is  fallen  and  corrupt,  and 
miserable,  and  wicked,  and  that  is  very  much 
under  the  reii^rn  and  dominion  of  sin.  The 
principle  of  divine  love  that  was  once  in  the 
heart  of  man,  is  extinguished,  and  now  reigns 
in  but  few,  and  in  them  in  a  very  imperfect 
degree.  And  those  principles  that  tend  to 
malice  and  injuriousness,  are  the  principles 
that  the  ^eneralitv  of  the  world  are  under  the 
power  of.  This  world  is  a  place,  where  the 
devil,  who  is  called  the  god  of  this  world,  has 
influence  and  doniinion,  and  where  multitudes 
are  possessed  of  his  spirit.  All  men,  as  the 
Apostle  says  (2  Thessalonians  iii.  2),  have 
not  faith ;  and  indeed  but  few  have  that 
spirit  of  faith  in  the  heart  which  leads  to  the 
life  being  governed  by  the  rules  of  justice 
and  kindness  toward  others.  The  aspect  of 
the  world  is  too  much  that  of  which  our  Sa- 
viour spoke,  when  in  sending  out  his  disciples, 
he  said  (Matthew  x.  16):  ^'Behold  I  send  you 
forth  as  sheep  in  the  midst  of  wolves."  And 
therefore  those  that  have  not  a  spirit  with 
meekness  and   calmness   and    long-suffering 


TO   BEAR   INJURIES   FROM   OTHERS.  125 


and  comj>osedness  of  soul  to  bear  injuries  in 
such  a  world,  are  miserable  indeed,  and  are 
like  to  be  wretched  at  every  step  of  their  way 
through  life.  If  every  injury  we  must  meet, 
and  every  reproach  and  malicious  and  unjust 
deed  is  to  put  our  minds  and  hearts  into  a 
ruffle  and  tumult,  and  disturb  the  calm  and 
j)eace  in  which  we  may  enjoy  ourselves,  then 
we  can  have  no  possession  or  enjoyment  of 
spirit,  but  shall  be  kept  in  a  perpetual  tur 
moil  and  tumult,  like  the  bark  that  is  driven 
to  and  fro  continually  on  the  stormy  ocean. 
Men  that  have  their  spirits  heated  and  en- 
raged, and  rising  in  bitter  resentment  when 
they  are  injured,  act  as  if  they  thought  some 
strange  thing  had  happened  to  them,  whereas 
they  are  very  foolish  in  so  thinking  ;  for  it  is 
no  strange  thing  at  all,  but  only  what  was  to 
be  expected  in  a  world  like  this.  They,  there- 
fore, do  not  act  wisely  that  allow  their  spirits 
to  be  ruffled  by  the  injuries  they  suffer ;  for  a 
wise  man  doth  but  expect  more  or  less  injury 
in  the  world,  and  is  prepared  for  it,  and  in 
meekness  of  spirit  is  prepared  to  endure  it. 

Thirds  In  this  way  we  shall  he  most  above 
injuries.  He  that  has  established  such  a 
Bpirit  and  disposition  of  mind  that  the  inju- 


126  CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   MEEKLY 


rieso'eceived  from  others  do  not  exaspeiate 
and  provoke  him,  or  disturb  the  calmness  of 
his  mind,  lives,  as  it  were,  above  injuries  and 
out  of  their  reach.  He  conquers  them,  and 
rides  over  and  above  them  as  in  triumph,  ex- 
alted above  their  power.  He  that  has  so  much 
of  the  exercise  of  a  Christian  spirit,  as  to  be 
able  meekly  to  bear  all  injuries  done  him, 
dwells  on  high  where  no  enemy  can  reach 
him.  History  tells  us  that  when  the  Persians 
besieged  Babylon,  the  walls  of  the  city  were 
so  exceeding  high,  that  the  inhabitants  used 
to  stand  on  the  top  of  them,  and  laugh  at 
their  enemies  ;  and  so  one  whose  soul  is  forti- 
fied with  a  spirit  of  Christian  meekness,  and 
a  disposition  calmly  to  bear  all  injuries,  may 
laugh  at  the  enemy  that  would  injure  him. 
If  any  that  have  an  ill  spirit  against  us,  and 
are  therefore  disposed  to  do  us  an  injury  by  re- 
proaching us  or  otherwise,  see  that  by  so  doing 
they  can  disturb  and  vex  us,  they  are  gratified 
thereby ;  but  if  they  see  that  by  all  they  can  do 
they  cannot  interrupt  the  calm  of  our  minds,  or 
break  up  our  serenity  of  soul,  then  they  are 
frustrated  in  their  aim,  and  the  shafts  with 
which  they  would  wound  us,  fall  back  with- 
out doing  the  execution  they  intended  :  while 


TO  BEAR  INJURIES  FROM  OTHERS.    127 


on  the  other  hand,  just  in  proj)ortion  as  we 
allow  our  minds  to  be  disturbed  and  embar- 
rassed by  the  injuries  offered  by  an  adversary, 
just  in  the  same  proportion  do  we  fall  under 
his  power. 

Fourth^  The  spirit  of  Christian  long-suffer- 
ing and  of  meekness  in  bearing  injuries,  is  a 
uiarh  of  true  greatness  of  soul.  It  shows  a 
true  and  noble  nature,  and  real  greatness  of 
spirit,  thus  to  maintain  the  calmness  of  the 
mind  in  the  midst  of  injuries  and  evils.  It  is 
an  evidence  of  excellence  of  temper,  and  of 
inward  fortitude  and  strength.  "He  that  is 
clow  to  anger,"  says  Solomon  (Proverbs  xvi. 
32),  "  is  better  than  the  mighty,  and  he  that 
ruleth  his  spirit  than  he  that  taketh  a  city;" 
that  is,  he  show^s  a  more  noble  and  excellent 
nature,  and  more  true  greatness  of  spirit,  than 
the  greatest  conquerors  of  the  earth.  It  is 
from  littleness  of  mind  that  the  soul  is  easily 
disturbed  and  put  out  of  repose  by  the  re- 
proaches and  ill-treatment  of  men;  just  as 
little  streams  of  water  are  much  disturbed  by 
the  small  unevennesses  and  obstacles  they  meet 
with  in  their  course,  and  make  a  great  deal  of 
noise  as  they  pass  over  them,  whereas  great 
and  mighty  streams  pass  over  the  same  obsta- 


128  CHAKITY   DISPOSES   US   MEEKLY 


cles  calmly  and  quietly,  without  a  ripple  on 
the  surface  to  show  they  are  disturbed.  He 
that  possesses  his  soul  after  such  a  manner 
that  when  others  harm  and  injure  him,  he 
can,  notwithstanding,  remain  in  calmness  and 
hearty  good- will  toward  them,  pitying  and  for- 
giving them  from  the  heart,  manifests  therein 
a  godlike  greatness  of  spirit.  Such  a  meek  and 
quiet  and  long-suffering  spirit,  shows  a  true 
greatness  of  soul,  in  that  it  shows  great  and 
true  wisdom,  as  says  the  Apostle  (James  iii. 
13):  "Who  is  a  wise  man  and  endued  with 
knowledge  among  you  ?  Let  him  show,  out 
of  a  good  conversation,  his  works  with  meek- 
ness of  wisdom."  And  the  wise  Solomon, 
who  well  knew  what  belonged  to  wisdom, 
often  speaks  of  the  wisdom  of  such  a  spirit : 
declaring  (Proverbs  xiii.  10)  that  "only  by 
pride  cometh  contention;  but  with  the  well 
advised,  is  wisdom;"  and  again  (xxix.  8),  that 
"wise  men  turn  away  wrath;"  and  still  again 
(xix.  11),  that  "the  discretion  of  a  ma^n  defer- 
reth  his  anger."  On  the  contrary,  those  that 
are  apt  highly  to  resent  injuries,  and  to  be 
greatly  angered  and  vexed  by  them,  are 
spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures  as  of  a  little  and 
foolish  spirit.     "He  that  is  slow  to  wrath," 


TO   BEAR   INJTJEIES   FEOM   OTHEES.  129 


says  Solomon  (Proverbs  xiv.  29),  "is  of  great 
understanding  ;  but  lie  that  is  hasty  of  spirit, 
exalteth  folly ;"  and  again  (Ecclesiastes  vii. 
8,  9),  "  The  patient  in  spirit,  is  better  than 
the  proud  in  spirit.  Be  not  hasty  in  thy 
spirit  to  be  angry ;  for  anger  resteth  in  the 
bosom  of  fools  ;"  and  still  again  (Proverbs 
xiv.  16,  17,  18),  "The  fool  rageth,  and  is  con- 
fident. He  that  is  soon  angry,  dealeth  fool- 
ishly ;  and  a  man  of  wicked  devices  is  hated. 
The  simple  inherit  folly."  And  on  the  other 
hand,  a  meek  spirit  is  expressly  spoken  of  in 
the  Scripture,  as  an  honorable  spirit ;  as  in 
Proverbs  xx.  3  :  "It  is  an  honor  to  a  man  to 
cease  from  strife." 

Fifths  The  spirit  of  Christian  long-sufiering 
and  meekness  is  commended  to  us  hy  the  ex- 
am>jple  of  the  saints.  The  example  of  Christ 
alone  might  be,  and  is  sufficient ;  since  it  is 
the  example  of  him  who  is  our  head  and  Lord 
and  master,  whose  followers  we  profess  to  be, 
and  whose  examj^le  we  believe  to  be  j)erfect. 
And  yet  some  may  be  ready  to  say  with  re- 
gard to  the  example  of  Christ,  that  he  was 
sinless,  and  had  no  corruption  in  his  heart, 
and  that  it  cannot  be  expected  of  us  that  we 
should  do  in  all  things  as  he  did.    Now  though 


130  CHAEITY   DISPOSES    US   MEEKLY 


this  is  no  reasonable  objection,  yet  the  example 
of  saints  who  were  men  of  like  passions  with 
ourselves,  is  not  without  its  special  use,  and 
may  in  some  respects  have  a  peculiar  influence. 
Many  of  the  saints  have  set  bright  examples 
of  this  long-suifering  that  has  been  recom- 
mended. With  what  meekness,  for  instance, 
did  David  bear  the  injurious  treatment  that 
he  received  from  Saul,  when  he  was  hunted 
by  him  as  a  partridge  on  the  mountains,  and 
pursued  with  the  most  unreasonable  envy  and 
malice,  and  with  murderous  designs,  though 
he  had  ever  behaved  himself  dutifully  toward 
him.  And  when  he  had  the  opportunity  put 
into  his  hands  of  cutting  him  off,  and  at  once 
delivering  himself  from  his  power,  and  others 
around  him  were  ready  to  think  it  very  law- 
ful and  commendable  to  do  so,  yet  as  Saul 
was  the  Lord's  anointed,  he  chose  rather  to 
commit  himself  and  all  his  interests  to  God, 
and  venture  his  life  in  his  hands,  and  suffer 
his  enemy  still  to  live.  And  when,  after  this, 
he  saw  that  his  forbearance  and  goodness  did 
not  overcome  Saul,  but  that  he  still  pursued 
him,  and  w^hen  again  he  had  the  opportunity 
of  destroying  him,  he  chose  rather  to  go  out 


TO   BEAR   INJURIES   FROM   OTHERS.  131 


as  a  wanderer  and  an  outcast,  than  to  injure 
the  one  that  would  have  destroyed  him. 

Another  instance  is  that  of  Stephen,  ot 
whom  we  are  told  (Acts  vii.  59,  60)  that  when 
liis  persecutors  were  venting  their  rage  upon 
him  by  stoning  him  to  death,  "he  kneeled 
down,  and  cried  with  a  loud  voice.  Lord,  lay 
not  this  sin  to  their  charge."  This  prayer  is 
mentioned  as  that  which  he  made  with  his 
expiring  breath,  and  as  the  last  words  that  he 
uttered  after  praying  the  Lord  Jesus  to  receive 
his  spirit;  and  immediately  after  making  this 
prayer  for  his  persecutors,  we  are  told  that 
he  fell  asleep,  thus  forgiving  them  and  com- 
mending them  to  God's  blessing  as  the  last 
act  of  his  life  on  earth.  Another  example,  is 
that  of  the  Apostle  Paul,  who  was  the  subject 
of  numberless  injuries  from  wicked  and  un- 
reasonable men.  Of  these  injuries  and  his 
manner  of  behavior  under  them,  he  gives  us 
some  account  in  1  Corinthians  iv.  11,  12,  13 : 
"Even  unto  this  present  hour  we  both  hun- 
ger, and  thirst,  and  are  naked,  and  are  buffet- 
ed, and  have  no  certain  dwelling-place ;  and 
labor,  working  with  our  own  hands.  Being 
reviled,  we  bless  ;  being  persecuted,  we  suffer 
it ;  being  defamed,  we  entreat ;  we  are  made 


132  CHAKITY   DISPOSES   US   MEEKLY 


as  the  filth  of  the  world,  and  are  the  off-scour- 
ing of  all  things  unto  this  day."  Thus  he 
manifested  a  meek  and  long-suffering  spirit, 
und^r  all  the  injuries  that  were  heaped  upon 
him.  And  not  only  do  we  have  these  records 
respecting  inspired  men ;  but  we  have  ac- 
counts in  uninspired  and  mere  human  histo- 
ries, of  the  remarkable  heroism  and  long-suf- 
fering of  martyrs  and  other  Christians,  under 
the  most  unreasonable  and  wicked  treatment 
and  injuries  received  from  men :  all  of  which 
should  lead  us  to  the  same  meek  and  long- 
suffering  sj^irit. 

Sixth^  This  is  the  way  to  he  rewarded  with 
the  exercise  of  the  divine  long-suffering  toward 
vs.  We  are  often  informed  in  the  Scriptures, 
that  men  are  to  be  dealt  with  by  God  hereafter 
according  to  their  way  of  dealing  with  others. 
Thus  we  are  told  (Psalm  xviii.  25,  26)  "that 
with  the  merciful  God  will  show  himself  mer- 
ciful, and  with  an  upright  man,  upright;  that 
with  the  pure,  he  will  show  himself  pure,  and 
with  the  froward,  he  will  show  liimself  fro- 
ward."  And  again  (Matthew  vii.  2),  "  with 
what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye  shall  be  judged  ; 
and  with  what  measure  ye  mete,  it  shall  be 
measured    to  yoii   again ;"    and   still   again 


TO   BEAR   INJURIES   FROM   OTHERS.      133 


(vi.  14,  15),  ^'tbat  if  we  forgive  men  their 
trespasses,  our  heavenly  Father  will  also 
forgive  us,  but  if  we  forgive  not  men  their 
trespasses,  neither  will  our  Father  forgive 
our  trespasses.'^  By  trespasses,  here,  is 
meant  the  same  as  injuries  done  to  us;  so 
that  if  we  do  not  bear  with  men's  injuries 
against  us,  neither  will  our  heavenly  Father 
bear  with  oar  injuries  against  him ;  and  if  we 
do  not  exercise  long-suffering  toward  men,  we 
cannot  expect  that  God  will  exercise  long- 
Buftering  toward  us.  But  let  us  consider  how 
greatly  we  stand  in  need  of  God's  long-suifering 
with  regard  to  our  injuries  toward  him.  How 
often  and  how  greatly  are  we  injuriously  be 
having  ourselves  toward  God,  and  how  ill  is 
our  treatment  of  him  every  day  !  And  if  God 
did  not  bear  with  us,  and  exercise  wonderful 
long-suifering  toward  us,  how  miserable  should 
we  be,  and  what  would  become  of  us  !  Let 
this  consideration,  therefore,  influence  all  of 
us  to  seek  such  an  excellent  spirit  as  that 
which  has  been  spoken  of,  and  to  disallow  and 
suppress  anything  of  the  contrary  spirit  or 
practice.  It  would  have  a  most  happy  influ- 
ence on  us  as  individuals,  and  on  our  fami- 
lies, and  so  on  all  our  public  associations  and 
10 


134  CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   MEEKLY 


affairs,  if  such  a  spirit  as  this  prevailed.  It 
would  prevent  contention  and  strife,  and  dif- 
fuse gentleness  and  kindness,  and  harmon^r 
and  love.  It  would  do  away  with  bitterness 
and  confusion,  and  everj  evil  work.  Our 
affairs  would  all  be  carried  on,  both  in  public 
and  private,  without  fierceness,  or  edge,  or 
bitterness  of  spirit ;  without  harsh  and  oppro- 
brious expressions  to  others  ;  and  without  any 
of  the  malignant  backbiting  and  contemp- 
tuous speech,  that  so  often  are  heard  among 
men,  and  which  at  the  same  time  do  great 
injury  in  society,  and  are  making  fearful 
work  for  the  judgment. 

But  some,  in  their  hearts,  may  be  ready  to 
object  against  such  a  meek  and  quiet  bearing 
of  injuries  as  has  been  spoken  of;  and  some 
of  these  objections  it  may  be  profitable  briefly 
to  mention  and  answer  : — 

Ohjection  1.  Some  may  be  ready  to  say, 
that  the  i7iju7'ies  they  receive  from  men  cure  hv- 
tolerable  y  that  the  one  who  has  injured  them 
has  been  so  unreasonable  in  what  he  has  said 
or  done,  and  it  is  so  unjust  and  injurious  and 
unjustifiable,  and  the  like,  that  it  is  more  than 
flesh  and  blood  can  bear;  that  they  are  treated 
with  so  much  injustice  that  it  is  enough  to  pro 


TO    BEAK   INJURIES    FKOM    OTIIEKS.  135 


yoke  a  stone  :  or  that  they  are  treated  with  such 
contempt,  that  they  are  actually  trampled  on, 
and  they  cannot  but  resent  it.  But  in  answer 
to  this  objection,  I  would  ask  a  few  questions. 
And, 

J^ir'st^  Do  you  think  the  injuries  you  have 
received  from  your  fellow-man,  are  more  than 
you  have  offered  to  Grod  ?  Has  your  enemy 
been  more  base,  more  unreasonable,  more  un- 
grateful, than  you  have  to  the  High  and  Holy 
One  ?  Have  his  offences  been  more  heinous 
or  aggravated,  or  more  in  number,  than  yours 
have  been  against  your  creator,  benefactor, 
and  redeemer  ?  Have  they  been  more  pro- 
voking, and  exasperating,  tnan  your  sinful 
conduct  has  been  to  Him  who  is  the  author  of 
all  our  mercies,  and  to  whom  you  are  under  the 
highest  obligations  ? 

Second^  Do  yoa  not  hope  that  as  God  hith- 
erto has,  so  he  will  still  bear  with  you  in  all 
this,  and  that  notwithstanding  all,  he  will  ex- 
ercise toward  you  his  infinite  love  and  favor? 
Do  you  not  hope  that  God  will  have  mercy 
upon  you,  and  that  Christ  wii'l  embrace  you 
in  his  dying  love,  though  you  have  been  such 
an  injurious  enemy  ;  and  that  through  his 
grace,  he  will  bh^t  out  your  traL'Sgressions  and 


136  CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   MEEKLY 


all  your  offences  against  liiin,  and  make  you 
eternally  his  child,  and  an  heir  of  his  kingdom  ? 

Thirds  When  you  think  of  such  long-suffer- 
ing on  God's  part,  do  you  not  approve  of  it, 
and  think  well  of  it,  and  that  it  is  not  only 
worthy  and  excellent,  but  exceeding  glo- 
rious ?  And  do  you  not  approve  of  it,  that 
Christ  should  have  died  for  you,  and  that 
God,  through  him,  should  offer  you  pardon 
and  salvation  ?  Or  do  you  disa2)prove  of  this  ? 
And  would  you  have  liked  God  better,  if  he 
had  not  borne  with  you,  but  had  long  since 
cut  you  off  in  his  wrath  ? 

Fourth^  If  such  a  course  be  excellent  and 
worthy  to  be  approved  of  in  God,  why  is  it 
not  in  yourself  ?  Why  should  you  not  imi- 
tate it?  Is  God  too  kind  in  forgiving  inju- 
ries ?  Is  it  less  heinous  to  offer>i  the  Lord  of 
heaven  and  earth,  than  for  a  man  to  offend 
you  ?  Is  it  well  for  you  to  be  toi-given,  and 
that  you  should  pray  to  God  for  j^^i'don,  and 
yet  that  you  should  not  extend  it  to  your  fel- 
low-men that  have  injured  you  ? 

Fifths  Would  you  be  willing,  for  all  the 
future,  that  God  should  no  longer  bear  wdth 
the  injuries  you  may  offer  him,  and  the 
offences  you  commit  against  him  ?     Are  yoi. 


TO   BEAT    1?^ JURIES   FKOM   OTHERS.  137 


vrilling  to  go^  and  ask  God  to  deal  with  your- 
self for  the  future,  as  in  holding  this  objection, 
j^ou  think  of  dealing  with  your  fellow-men  ? 

/Sixth,  Did  Christ  turn  again  upon  those 
who  injured,  and  insulted,  and  trod  on  him, 
when  he  was  here  below  ;  and  was  he  not 
injured  far  more  grievously  than  ever  you 
have  been  ?  And  have  not  you  more  truly 
trodden  under  foot  the  Son  of  God,  than  you 
were  ever  trodden  on  by  others  ?  And  is  it  a 
jiiore  provoking  thing  for  men  to  tread  on  and 
/njure  you,  than  for  you  to  tread  on  and 
injure  Christ  ?  These  questions  may  suffi- 
ciently answer  your  objection. 

Objection  2.  But  you  may  still  further  say, 
that  those  who  have  injured  you^  persist  in  it^ 
and  do  not  at  all  repent^  hiut  go  on  doing  it 
stitl.  But  what  opportunity  could  there  be 
for  long-suffering,  if  injury  were  not  persisted 
in  long  ?  If  injuries  are  continued,  it  may  be 
for  the  very  purpose,  in  providence,  of  trying 
whether  you  will  exercise  long-suffering  and 
meekness,  and  that  forbearance  that  has  been 
spoken  of.  And  did  not  God  bear  with  yon, 
when  you  persisted  in  offending  him  ?  When 
you  have  been  obstinate,  and  self-wiPed,  and 
persevering  in  your  injuries  against  nim,  has 


IdO  CHARITY    DISPOSES   US   MEEKLY. 

he  ceased  to  exercise  bis  long-suffering  toward 
you  ? 

Ohjectioii  3.  But  you  may  object,  again, 
that  your  enemies  loill  he  encouraged  to  go 
on  with  their  injuries  ;  excusing  yourself  by 
saying,  that  if  you  bear  injury,  you  will  only 
be  injured  the  more.  But  you  do  not  know 
this,  for  you  have  not  an  insight  into  the 
future,  or  into  the  hearts  of  men.  And,  be- 
side, God  will  undertake  for  you,  if  you  obey 
his  commands ;  and  he  is  more  able  to  put  a 
stop  to  the  wrath  of  man  than  you  are.  He 
hath  said  (Eomans  xii.  19),  "  Vengeance  is 
mine,  I  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord."  He 
interposed  wonderfully  for  David,  as  he  has 
for  very  many  of  his  saints  ;  and  if  you  do 
but  obey  him,  he  will  take  part  with  you 
against  all  that  rise  up  against  you.  And  in 
the  observation  and  experience  of  men,  it  is 
generally  found,  that  a  meek  and  long-suffer- 
ing spirit  puts  an  end  to  injuries,  w^hile  a  re- 
vengeful spirit  does  but  provoke  them.  Cher- 
ish, then,  the  spirit  of  long-suffering  meek- 
ness, and  forbearance,  and  you  shall  possess 
your  soul  in  patience  and  happiness,  and  none 
shall  be  permitted  to  harm  you  more  than 
God  in  wisdom  and  kindness  may  permit. 


LECTUIIE  V. 

CHAKITY   DISPOSES    US   TO   DO   GOOD. 
'  Charity  suffereth  long  and  is  kind." — 1  Corinthians  xiii.  4. 

In  the  last  lecture  from  these  words,  it  was 
shown,  that  charity  or  Christian  love  is  long- 
Buffering,  or  that  it  disposes  us  meekly  to  bear 
the  injuries  received  from  others.  And  now 
it  is  proposed  to  show  that  it  is  kind,  or  m 
other  words. 

That  chaeity,  ok  a  teuly  Christian  spirit, 

WILL  DISPOSE  us  freely  TO  DO  GOOD  TO  OTHERS. 

In  dwelling  on  this  point,  I  would,  1,  briefly 
open  the  nature  of  the  duty  of  doing  good  U 
others,  and  2,  show  that  a  Christian  spirit  wlL 
dispose  us  to  it. 

I.  I  would  briefly  open  the  nature  of  the 
duty  of  doing  good  to  others. — And  here,  three 
things  are  to  be  considered,  viz.  :  tlie  ad^ 
doing  good  ;  the  objects^  or  those  to  wLoii'  we 


140        CHAEITY   DISPOSES   "US   TO   DO    GOOD. 


should  do  good  ;  and  the  manner  in  which  it 
should  be  done,  freely.     And, 

1.  The  act  which  is  the  matter  of  the  duty^ 
which  is,  doing  good  to  others. — There  are 
many  ways  in  which  persons  may  do  good  to 
others,  and  in  which  they  are  obliged  so  to  do, 
as  they  have  opportunity.     And, 

First,  Persons  may  do  good  to  the  soids  of 
others,  which  is  the  most  excellent  way  of 
doing  good.  Men  may  be,  and  oftentimes 
are  the  instruments  of  spiritual  and  eternal 
good  to  others  ;  and  wherein  any  are  so,  they 
are  the  instruments  of  greater  good  to  them 
than  if  they  had  given  them  the  riches  of  the 
universe.  And  we  may  do  good  to  the  souls 
of  others,  by  taking  pains  to  instruct  the 
ignorant,  and  to  lead  them  to  the  knowledge 
of  the  great  things  of  religion  ;  and  by  coun- 
selling and  warning  others,  and  stirring  them 
up  to  their  duty,  and  to  a  seasonable  and  thor- 
ough care  for  their  soul's  welfare  ;  and  so 
again,  by  Christian  reproof  of  those  that  may 
be  out  of  the  way  of  duty;^and  by  setting 
them  good  examples,  which  is  a  thing  the 
most  needful  of  all,  and  commonly  the  most 
effectual  of  all  for  the  promotion  of  the  good 
of  their  souls.    Such  an  example  must  accom- 


C3HAEITY  DISPOSES   VS   TO  BO   GOOD.        141 


pan  J  the  otlier  means  of  doing  good  to  the 
souls  of  men,  such  as  instructing,  counselling, 
warning  and  reproving,  and  is  needful  to  give 
force  to  such  means,  and  to  make  them  tako 
effect ;  and  it  is  more  likely  to  render  them 
effectual,  than  anything  else  whatsoever; 
and  without  it,  they  will  be  likely  to  be  in 
vain. 

Men  may  do  good  to  the  souls  of  vicious 
persons,  by  being  the  means  of  reclaiming 
them  from  their  vicious  courses  ;  or  to  the 
souls  of  neglecters  of  the  sanctuary,  by  per- 
suading them  to  go  to  the  house  of  God  ;  or 
to  the  souls  of  secure  and  careless  sinners,  by 
putting  them  in  mind  of  their  misery  and  dan- 
ger ;  and  so  may  be  the  instruments  of  awak- 
ening them,  and  the  means  of  their  conversion, 
and  of  bringing  them  home  to  Christ.  Thus 
they  may  be  of  the  number  of  those,  of  whom 
we  read  (Daniel  xii.  3),  "  that  turn  many  to 
righteousness,"  and  who  "shall  shine  as  stars 
forever  and  ever."  Saints,  too,  may  be  the 
instruments  of  comforting  and  establishing 
one  another,  and  of  strengthening  one  an- 
other in  faith  and  obedience  ;  of  quickening, 
and  animating,  and  edifying  one  another; 
of  raising  one  another  out  of  dull  and  doad 


142        CHARITY   DISPOSES    US   TO   DO   GOOD. 


frames,  and  helping  one  another  out  of  temp- 
tations,  and  onward  in  the  divine  life ;  of  di- 
recting one  another  in  doubtful  and  difficult 
cases ;  of  encouraging  one  another  under 
darkness  or  in  trial ;  and  generally,  of  pro- 
moting each  other's  spiritual  joy  and  strength, 
and  thus  being  mutually  fellow-helpers  on 
their  way  to  glory. 

Second^  Persons  may  do  good  to  others  in 
oiitward  things^  and  for'  this  world.  They 
may  help  others  in  their  external  difficulties 
and  calamities ;  for  there  are  innumerable 
kinds  of  temporal  calamities  to  which  man- 
kind are  liable,  and  in  which  they  stand 
much  in  need  of  the  help  of  their  neighbors 
and  friends.  Many  are  hungry,  or  thirsty, 
or  strangers,  or  naked,  or  sick,  or  in  prison 
(Matthew  xxv.  35,  36),  or  in  suffering  of  some 
other  kind ;  and  to  all  such  we  may  minister. 
We  may  do  good  to  others,  by  furthering 
their  outward  estate  or  substance ;  or  in  aid- 
ing their  good  name,  and  thus  promoting 
their  esteem  and  acceptance  among  men ;  or 
by  anything  that  may  truly  add  to  their  com- 
fort and  happiness  in  the  world,  whether  it  be 
in  the  kind  word,  or  the  considerate  and 
benevolent  deed.     And  by  endeavoring  thus 


CHARITY    DISPOSES    US    TO    DO    GOOD.  143 


tc  do  good  to  tliem  externally,  we  are  under 
tlie  greater  advantage  to  do  good  to  their 
souls  ;  for  when  our  instructions,  counsels, 
warnings,  and  good  examples  are  accompa- 
nied with  such  outward  kindness,  the  latter 
tends  to  open  the  way  for  the  better  effect  of 
the  former,  and  to  give  them  their  full  force, 
and  to  lead  such  persons  to  apj^reciate  osl:* 
efforts  when  we  seek  their  spiritual  good 
And  we  may  thus  contribute  to  the  good  of 
othei's,  in  three  ways  :  by  giving  to  them^  of 
those  things  that  they  need  and  we  possess .' 
by  doing  for  them^  and  taking  pains  to  help 
them  and  promote  their  welfare  ;  and  by  svf- 
fering  for  thein^  and  aiding  them  to  beai: 
their  burdens,  and  doing  all  in  our  power  to 
make  those  burdens  light.  In  each  of  these 
ways,  Christianity  requires  us  to  do  good  to 
others.  It  requires  us  to  give  to  others,  Luke 
vi.  38,  "Give  and  it  shall  be  given  unto  you." 
It  requires  us  to  do  for  others,  and  to  labor  for 
them,  1  Thess.  ii.  9 :  "For  ye  remember,  breth- 
ren, our  laboi  and  travail ;  for  laboring  night 
and  day,  because  we  would  not  be  chargeable 
unto  any  of  you,  we  preached  unto  you  the  gos- 
pel of  God ;"  and  lie  ore ws  vi.  10 :  "  For  God  is 
Kot  unrighteous  to  forget  your  work  and  labor 


144        CHARITT    DISPOSES   US   TO   DO    GOOD. 


of  love,  &c."  And  it  requires  us,  if  need  be, 
to  surfer  for  others,  Galatians  vi.  2  :  "  Bear  ye 
one  another's  burdens,  and  so  fulfil  the  law  of 
Christ ;"  and  1  John  iii.  16 :  "  Hereby  per- 
ceive Ave  the  love  of  God,  because  he  laid 
down  his  life  for  us  ;  and  we  ought  to  lay 
down  our  lives  for  the  brethren."  So  that 
in  all  these  ways  the  Scriptures  require  us  to 
do  good  to  all.     I  pass,  then,  to  speak, 

2.  Of  the  ohjects  of  this  act^  or  of  those  to 
whom  we  should  do  good.  These  are  often 
spoken  of  in  the  Scriptures,  by  the  expression, 
"our  neighbor;"  for  the  duty  before  us,  is 
implied  in  the  command,  that  we  love  our 
neighbor  as  ourselves.  But  here,  perhaps,  we 
may  be  ready  w^ith  the  young  lawyer  that 
came  to  Christ  (Luke  x.  29,  &c.),  to  ask, 
"who  is  our  neighbor?" — And  as  Christ's  an- 
swer taught  him  that  the  Samaritan  was 
neighbor  to  ;he  Jev/,  though  the  Samaritans 
and  Jews  were  each  esteemed  by  the  other 
vile,  and  accursed,  and  as  bitter  enemies,  so 
we  may  be  taught  who  those  are  to  whom  we 
are  to  do  good,  in  three  respects  : — 

First.,  We  are  to  do  good  botli  to  the  good 
and  to  the  had.  This  we  are  to  do,  as  we 
would  imitate  our  heavenly  Father,  for  "he 


CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   TO   DO   GOOD.     145 


(Matthew  v.  45)  maketh  his  sun  to  rise  on  the 
evil  and  the  good,  and  sendeth  rain  on  the 
just  and  on  the  unjust.'^  The  world  is  fulJ 
of  various  kind  of  persons ;  some  good,  and 
some  evil ;  and  we  should  do  good  to  all.  We 
should,  indeed,  especially,  ^'  do  good  to  thera 
that  are  of  the  household  of  faith,'^  or  that  we 
have  reason,  in  the  exercise  of  charity,  to  re- 
gard as  saints.  But  though  we  should  most 
abound  in  beneficence  to  them,  yet  our  doing 
good  should  not  be  confined  to  them,  but  we 
should  do  good  to  all  men  as  we  have  oppor- 
tunity. While  we  live  in  the  world,  we  must 
expect  to  meet  with  some  men  of  very  evil 
properties,  and  hateful  dispositions  and  prac- 
tices. Some  are  proud,  some  immoral,  some 
covetous,  some  profane,  some  unjust  or  severe, 
and  some  despisers  of  God.  But  any  or  all 
these  bad  qualities  should  not  hinder  our  be- 
neficence, or  prevent  our  doing  them  good  as 
we  have  opportunity.  On  this  very  account 
we  should  the  rather  be  diligent  to  benefit 
them,  that  we  may  win  them  to  Christ;  and 
especially  should  we  be  diligent  to  benefit  them 
in  spiritual  things. 

Second,  We  should  do  good  both  to  friends 
and  enemies.     We  are  obliged  to  do  good  to 


146    CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   TO   DO   GOOD. 


our  friends,  not  only  from  the  obligation  we 
are  under  to  do  good  to  them  as  our  fellow- 
creatures,  and  those  that  are  made  in  the 
image  of  God,  but  from  the  obligations  of 
friendship,  and  gratitude,  and  the  affection 
we  bear  them.  And  we  are  also  obliged  to  do 
good  to  our  enemies;  for  our  Saviour  says 
(Matthew  v.  44) :  ^'  But  I  say  unto  you,  love 
your  enemies ;  bless  them  that  curse  you ; 
do  good  to  them  that  hate  you ;  and  pray  for 
them  that  despitefully  use  you,  and  persecute 
you."  To  do  good  to  those  that  do  ill  to  us, 
is  the  only  retaliation  that  becomes  us  as 
Christians;  for  we  are  taught  (Romans  xii. 
17,  21)  to  "recompense  to  no  man  evil  for 
evil,"  but  on  the  contrary  to  "overcome  evil 
with  good;"  and  again  it  is  written  (1  Thes- 
salonians  v.  15):  "See  that  none  render  evil 
for  evil  unto  any  man,  but  ever  follow  that 
which  is  good,  both  among  yourselves  and  to 
all  men ;"  and  still  again  (1  Peter  iii.  9) :  "  Not 
rendering  evil  for  evil,  or  railing  for  railing, 
but  contrariwise,  blessing;  knowing  that  ye 
are  thereunto  called,  that  ye  should  inherit  a 
blessing."     And, 

Third,    We    sh(uild    do   good    both   to   the 
thankful   and   the    unthankful.      This   we  are 


CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   TO   DO   GOOD.     147 


obliged  to  do  by  the  example  of  our  heavenly 
Father,  for  he  (Luke  vi.  35)  "  is  kind  unto  the 
unthankful  and  to  the  evil ;''  and  the  command 
is,  that  we  "  be  merciful  as  he  also  is  merci- 
ful.'' Many  make  an  objection  against  doing 
good  to  others,  saying,  "If  I  do,  they  will 
nevei  thank  me  for  it;  and  for  my  kindness, 
they  will  return  abuse  and  injury :''  and  thus 
they  are  ready  to  excuse  themselves  from  the 
exercise  of  kindness,  especially  to  those  who 
may  have  shown  themselves  ungrateful.  But 
such  persons  do  not  sufficiently  look  at  Christ ; 
and  they  either  show  their  want  of  acquaint- 
ance with  the  rules  of  Christianity,  or  their 
unwillingness  to  cherish  its  spirit.  Having 
thus  spoken  of  the  duty  of  doing  good,  and 
the  persons  to  whom  we  are  to  do  it,  I  pass, 
as  proposed,  to  speak, 

3.  Oj  the  manner  in  which  we  should 
do  good  to  others. — This  is  expressed  in  the 
single  word  "/ree^^."  This  seems  implied  in 
the  words  of  the  text;  for  to  be  kind,  is  to  have 
a  disposition  freely  to  do  good.  AVhatever 
good  is  done,  there  is  no  proper  kindness  in 
the  doer  of  it,  unless  it  be  done  freely.  And 
this  doing  good  freely,  implies  three  things  :— 

First,  That  our  doing  good  be  not  in  a  met 


14:S         CHAEITY    DISPOSES    US    TO    DO    GOOD. 


cenary  spirit.  We  are  not  to  do  it  for  the 
Bake  of  any  reward  received  or  expected  from 
the  one  to  wtom  we  do  the  good.  The  com- 
mand is  (Luke  vi.  35):  "Do  good,  and  lend, 
hoping  for  nothing  again."  Oftentimes  men 
will  do  good  to  others,  expecting  to  receive  as 
much  again ;  but  we  should  do  good  to  the 
poor  and  needy  from  whom  we  can  expect 
nothing  in  return.  The  command  of  Christ, 
is  (Luke  xiv.  12, 13, 14.) :  "When  thou  mak- 
est  a  dinner  or  a  supper,  call  not  thy  friends, 
nor  thy  brethren,  neither  thy  kinsmen,  nor 
thy  rich  neighbors;  lest  they  also  bid  thee 
again,  and  a  recompense  be  made  thee.  But 
when  thou  makest  a  feast,  call  the  poor,  the 
maimed,  the  lame,  the  blind  ;  and  thou  shalt 
be  blessed  ;  for  they  cannot  recompense  thee  • 
^ or  thou  shalt  be  recompea  ^ed  at  the  resurrec- 
tion of  the  just."  That  our  doing  good  be 
free,  and  not  mercenary,  it  is  necessary  that 
what  we  do,  be  done,  not  for  the  sake  of  any 
temporal  good,  or  to  promote  our  temporal 
interest,  or  honor,  or  profit,  but  from  the  spirit 
of  love. 

Second^  That  our  doing  good  be  free,  it  is 
requisite  that  we  do  it  cheerfully  or  heartily^ 
and  with  real  good  will  to  the  one  we  woukl 


CHAlilTY   DISPOSES    US   TO   DO    GOOD.        149 


benefit.  What  is  done  heartily,  is  don-e  from 
love  ;  and  what  is  done  from  love,  is  done  with 
delight,  and  not  grudgingly  or  with  back- 
wardness and  reluctance  of  spirit.  "  Use 
hospitality,"  says  the  Apostle  (1  Peter  iv.  9): 
"  one  to  another,  without  grudging ;"  and  says 
Paul  (2  Corinthians  ix.  7) :  "  Every  man, 
according  as  he  purposeth  in  his  heart,  so  let 
him  give ;  not  grudgingly,  or  of  necessity :  for 
God  loveth  a  cheerful  giver."  This  requisite 
or  qualification  for  our  doing  good,  is  much 
insisted  on  in  the  Scriptures.  ''Pie  that  giv- 
eth,"  says  the  Apostle  (Romans  xii.  8)  "let 
him  do  it  with  simplicity;  he  that  ruleth, 
with  diligence  ;  he  that  showeth  mercy,  with 
cheerfulness."  And  God  gives  a  strict  charge 
(Deuteronomy  xv.  10) :  that  we  shall  not  be 
grieved  in  our  heart  when  we  give  to  our 
neighbor.  And  in  a  word,  the  very  idea  of 
giving  acceptably,  is  presented  throughout 
the  Bible,  as  implying  that  we  give  with  a  cor- 
dial and  cheerful  spirit.  Doing  good  freely 
also  implies. 

Thirds  That  we  do  it  liberally  and  hounti- 

fully.     We  are  not  to  be  scant  and  sparing 

in  our  gifts  or  efforts,  but  to  be  open-hearted 

and  open-handed.     We  are   to  "abound   * 

11 


150        CHARITY   DISPOSES    US   TO   DO   GOOD. 


every  good  work"  (2  Corintliians  ix.  8,  11), 
"  being  enriched  in  everything,  to  all  bounti- 
fulness."  Thus  God  requires  that  when  we  give 
to  the  poor,  we  should  "  0]:»en  our  hand  wide 
unto  him"  (Deuteronomy  xv.  8) ;  and  we  are 
told  (Proverbs  xi.  25),  that  "the  liberal  soul 
shall  be  made  fat ;"  and  the  Apostle  would 
have  the  Corinthians  be  bountiful  in  their  con- 
tributions for  the  poor  saints  in  Judea,  assur- 
ing them  (2  Corinthians  ix.  6)  that  "  he  that 
soweth  sparingly,  shall  reaj)  also  sparingly, 
and  he  that  soweth  bountifully,  shall  reap 
also  bountifully."  Having  thus  explained 
the  nature  of  this  duty  of  freely  doing  good 
to  others,  I  now  proceed,  to  show, 

n.  That  a  Christian  spirit  will  dispose  us 
thus  to  do  good  to  others. — And  this  appears 
from  two  considerations  : — 

1.  The  main  thirig  in  thcjft  love  lohich  is  the 
sum  of  the  Christian  spirit^  is  henevolence  or 
good-will  to  others. — We  have  already  seen 
what  Christian  love  is,  and  how  it  is  variously 
denominated  according  to  its  various  objects 
and  exercises  ;  and  ^particularly  how  as  it  re- 
spects the  good  enjoyed,  or  to  be  enjoyed  hyihQ 
beloved  object,  it  is  called  the  love  of  henevo^ 
lencc^  and  as  it  respects  the  good  to  be  enjoyed 


CHAEITY   DISPOSES   US   TO   DO    GOOD.        151 


m  the  beloved  object,  it  is  called  the  love  of 
cotnplacence.  Love  of  benevolence  is  tliat  dis- 
position which  leads  us  to  have  a  desire  for,  or 
delight  in  the  good  of  another  ;  and  that  is  the 
main  thing  in  Christian  love,  yea  the  most 
essential  thing  in  it,  and  that  whereby  our 
love  is  most  of  an  imitation  of  the  eternal  love 
and  grace  of  God,  and  of  the  dying  love  of 
Christ  which  consists  in  benevolence  or  good- 
will to  men,  as  was  sung  by  the  angels  at  his 
birth,  Luke  ii.  14.  So  that  the  main  thing  in 
Christian  love,  is  good-will,  or  a  spirit  to  de- 
light in,  and  seek  the  good  of  those  who  are 
the  objects  of  that  love. 

2.  The  most  proper  and  conclusive  evidence 
that  such  a  pi'inciple  is  real  and  sincere^  is^ 
its  heing  effectual. — ^The  proper  and  conclusive 
evidence  of  our  washing  or  willing  to  do  good 
to  another,  is,  to  do  it.  In  every  case,  nothing 
can  be  plainer,  than  that  the  proper  and  con- 
clusive evidence  of  the  will,  is  the  act ;  and 
tlie  act  always  follows  the  will,  where  there  is 
power  to  act.  The  proper  and  conclusive  evi- 
dence of  a  man's  sincerely  desiring  the  good 
of  another,  is  his  seeking  it  in  his  practice  : — 
for  whatever  we  truly  desire,  we  do  thus  seek. 
The  Scriptures,  therefore,  speak  of  doing  good, 


152        CHARITY   DISPOSES   TJS   TO   DO    GOOD. 


as  the  proper  and  full  evidence  of  love  ;  and 
they  often  speak  of  loving  in  the  deed  or 
practice,  as  being  the  same  thing  as  loving  m 
truth  and  reality  :— 1  John  iii.  18,  19  :  "  My 
little  children,  let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither 
in  tongue,  but  in  deed  and  in  truth  :"  "here- 
by we  know  that  we  are  of  the  truth ;"  i.  e, 
know  that  we  are  sincere.  And  again  (J^mes 
ii.  15,  16):  "If  a  brother  or  sister  be  naked, 
and  destitute  of  daily  food,  and  one  of  you 
say  unto  them,  Depart  in  peace,  be  ye 
warmed  and  filled,  notwithstanding  ye  give 
them  not  those  things  which  are  needful  to 
the  body,  what  doth  it  profit  ?"  There  is  no 
profit-  to  them ;  and  so  there  is  no  evidence  of 
sincerity  on  your  part,  and  that  you  really 
desire  that  they  should  be  clothed  and  fed. 
Sincerity  of  desire  would  lead  not  merely  to 
words^  but  to  the  deeds  of  benevolence.  In 
the  application  of  this  subject,  in  conclusion, 
we  may  use  it, 

1 .  Li  the  way  of  reproof. — If  a  truly  Chris- 
tian spirit  disposes  persons  freely  to  do  good 
to  others,  then  all  those  that  are  of  a  contrary 
ppirit  and  practice,  may  by  it  be  reproved.  A 
malignant  and  malicious  spirit  is  the  very 
contrary  of  the  former,  for  it  disposes  men  to 


CHAKITY   DISPOSES    US    10    DO    GOOD.         153 


do  evil  to  others,  and  not  good  ;  and  so,  also, 
is  a  close  and  selfish  spirit,  whereby  men  are 
wholly  bent  on  their  own  interests,  and  un- 
willing in  anything  to  forego  their  own  ends 
for  the  sake  of  others.  And  they,  also,  are  of 
a  spirit  and  practice  the  very  opposite  of  a 
spirit  of  love,  who  show  an  exorbitantly  grasp- 
ing and  avaricious  spirit,  and  who  take  every 
opportunity  to  get  all  they  possibly  can  from 
their  neighbors  in  their  dealings  with  them ; 
asking  them  more  for  what  they  do  for,  or 
sell  to  them,  than  it  is  truly  worth,  and  ex- 
torting to  the  utmost  from  them  by  unreasona- 
ble demands  ;  having  no  regard  to  value  of  the 
thing  to  their  neighbor,  but,  as  it  were,  for- 
cing out  of  him  all  they  can  get  for  it.  And 
they  who  do  these  things,  are  generally  very 
selfish,  also,  in  buying  from  their  neighbors, 
grinding  and  pinching  them  down  to  the  low- 
est prices,  and  being  very  backward  to  give 
what  the  thing  purchased  is  really  worth. 
Such  a  spirit  and  practice,  are  the  very  oppo- 
site of  a  Christian  spirit,  and  are  severely  re- 
proved by  the  great  law  of  love,  viz. :  that  we 
do  to  others,  as  we  would  have  them  do  to  us. 
The  subject  we  have  been  considering,  also, 
2.  Exhorts  all  to  the  duty  of  freely  doing 


154        CHARITY   DISPOSES    US   TO   DO   GOOD. 


(Hyod  to  others. — Seeing  tliat  this  is  a  Chrislian 
duty,  and  a  virtue  becoming  the  gospel,  and 
to  which,  a  Christian  spirit,  if  we  possess  it, 
will  dispose  ns,  let  us  seek,  as  we  have  oppor- 
tunity, to  do  good  to  the  souls  and  bodies  of 
others,  endeavoring  to  be  a  blessing  to  them  for 
time  and  eternity.  Let  us,  to  this  end,  be  will- 
ing to  do,  or  give,  or  suffer,  that  we  may  do  good 
alike  to  friends  and  enemies,  to  the  evil  and 
the  good,  to  the  thankful  and  the  unthankful. 
Let  our  benevolence  and  beneficence  be  uni- 
versal, constant,  free,  habitual,  and  according 
to  our  opportunities  and  ability  ;  for  this  is 
essential  to  true  piety,  and  required  by  the 
commands  of  God  !  And  liere  several  things 
are  to  be  considered  : — ■ 

Firsts  What  a  great  honor  it  is,  to  be  made 
an  instrument  of  good  in  the  world.  When 
we  fill  up  our  lives  with  doing  good,  God  puts 
tlie  high  honor  upon  us,  of  making  us  a  bless- 
ing to  the  world  ;  an  honor  like  that  which  he 
put  upon  Abraham,  when  he  said  (Genesis  xii, 
2),  "I  will  bless  thee,  and  make  thy  name 
great,  and  thou  shalt  be  a  blessing."  The 
very  light  of  nature  teaches,  that  this  is  a 
great  honor  ;  and  therefore  the  Eastern  kings 
and  governors  used  to  assume  to  themselves 


CHAEITY   DISPOSES    US   TO   DO    GOOD,        155 


the  title  of  benefactors,  that  is  "  doers  of 
good,"  as  the  most  honorable  they  could  think 
of  (Luke  xxii.  25) ;  and  it  was  a  common  thing 
in  heathen  lands,  when  those  that  had  done  a 
great  deal  of  good  in  their  life-time  were  dead, 
for  the  people,  among  whom  thej  dwelt,  to 
reckon  them  as  gods,  and  build  temples  to 
their  honor  and  for  their  worship.  So  far  as 
God  makes  men  the  instruments  of  doing  good 
to  others,  he  makes  them  like  the  heavenly 
bodies,  the  sun  and  moon  and  stars,  that 
bless  the  world  by  shedding  down  their  light : 
he  makes  them  like  the  angels,  who  are  min- 
istering spirits  to  others  for  their  good :  yea, 
he  makes  them  like  himself,  the  great  foun- 
tain of  all  good,  who  is  forever  pouring  down 
his  blessings  on  mankind. 

Second^  Thus  freely  to  do  good  to  others,  is 
but  to  do  to  them  as  vje  would  have  them  do  to 
us.  If  others  have  a  hearty  good-will  to  us, 
and  show  us  a  great  deal  of  kindness,  and  are 
ready  to  help  us  when  we  stand  in  need,  and 
for  that  end  are  free  to  do,  or  give,  or  suffer 
for  us,  and  to  bear  our  burdens,  and  feel  for 
us  in  our  calamities,  and  are  warm-hearted 
and  liberal  in  all  this,  we  most  highly  approve 
of  their  spirit  and  conduct.     And  we  not  only 


156         CHARITY    DISPOSES    US    TO    DO    GOOD. 


approve,  but  we  highly  commend,  and  per- 
haps make  occasions  to  speak  well  of  such 
persons;  never  thinking,  however,  that  they 
exceed  their  duty,  but  that  they  act  as  it  be- 
comes them  to  do.  Let  us,  then,  remember, 
that  if  this  is  so  noble  and  so  much  to  be  com- 
mended in  others  when  we  are  its  objects,  then 
we  ought  to  do  the  same  to  them,  and  to  all 
about  us.  What  we  thus  approve,  we  should 
exemplify  in  our  own  conduct. 

Third^  Let  us  consider  how  hind  God  and 
Christ  have  heen  to  us^  and  how  much  good  we 
have  received  from  them.  Their  kindness  in 
things  pertaining  to  this  world  has  been  very 
great.  The  divine  mercies  are  new  to  us  every 
morning,  and  fresh  every  evening  :  they  are 
as  ceaseless  as  our  being.  And  still  greater 
good  things  has  God  bestowed  for  our  spirit- 
ual and  eternal  good.  He  has  given  us  what 
is  of  more  value  than  all  the  kingdoms  of  the 
earth.  He  has  given  his  only-begotten  and 
well-beloved  son,  the  greatest  gift  he  could 
bestow.  And  Christ  has  not  only  done,  but 
he  has  suffered  great  things,  and  given  him- 
Belf  to  die  for  us  ;  and  all  freely,  and  without 
grudging,  or  hope  of  reward.  "Though  he 
was  rich,"  with  all  the  riches  of  tlie  universe; 


CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   TO   1)0   GOOD.        157 


*'yet  for  our  sakes  lie  became  poor,  that  we 
through  his  poverty  might  be  rich"  (2  Corin- 
thians viii.  9).  And  what  great  things  hath 
God  done  for  those  of  ns  who  are  converted, 
and  have  been  brought  home  to  Christ ;  de- 
livering us  from  sin,  justifying  and  sanctify- 
ing us,  making  us  kings  and  priests  unto  God, 
and  giving  us  a  title  "  to  an  inheritance  that 
is  incorKiiptible,  and  undefiled,  and  that  fad- 
eth  not  away"  (1  Peter  i.  4).  And  all  this, 
when  we  were  not  good,  but  evil,  and  un- 
thankful, and  in  ourselves  deserving  only  of 
wrath.     And, 

Fourth^  Let  us  consider  what  great  rewards 
are  prort%ised  to  those  that  freely  do  good  to 
others,  God  hath  promised  that  to  "the  mer- 
ciful he  will  show  himself  merciful"  (Psalm 
xviii.  25) ;  and  there  is  scarcely  any  duty 
spoken  of  throughout  the  Bible,  that  has  so 
many  promises  of  reward  as  this,  whether  for 
this  world,  or  the  world  to  come.  For  this 
world,  as  our  Saviour  declares  (Acts  xx.  35), 
"It  is  more  blessed  to  give  than  to  receive." 
He  that  gives  bountifully,  is  more  blessed  in 
the  bountiful  gifts  that  he  parts  with,  than  ho 
that  receives  the  bounty.  What  is  bestowed 
in  doing  good  to  others,  is  not  lost,  as  if  it  were 


158        CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   TO   DO   GOOD. 


thrown  into  the  ocean.  It  is  rather,  as  Solo- 
mon tells  lis  (Ecclesiastes  xi.  1),  like  the  seed 
which  the  Orientals  plant  by  scattering  it  on 
the  waters  when  the  floods  are  up,  and  which 
sinking  to  the  bottom,  there  takes  root,  and 
springing  up,  is  found  again  in  the  abundant 
harvest  after  many  days.  What  is  so  given, 
is  loaned  to  the  Lord  (Proverbs  xix.  17) ;  and 
what  we  have  thus  lent  him,  he  will  pay  us 
again.  And  he  will  not  only  repay  it,  but 
will  greatly  increase  its  amount ;  for  if  we 
give,  it  is  declared  (Luke  vi.  38),  that  it  shall 
be  "  given  to  us  again,  good  measure,  pressed 
down,  shaken  together,  and  running  over." 
Indeed  this  is  the  very  way  to  increase  ;  for 
it  is  said  (Proverbs  xi.  24),  "There  is  that 
scattereth,  and  yet  increaseth,  and  there  is 
that  withholdeth  more  than  is  meet,  and  it 
tendeth  to  poverty ;"  and  again  (Isaiah  xxxii. 
8),  "  The  liberal  deviseth  liberal  things,  and 
by  liberal  things  shall  he  stand."  What  even 
unregenerate  men  do  give  in  this  way,  God 
often  seems  to  reward  with  great  temporal 
blessings.  His  own  declaration  is  (Proverbs 
xxviii.  27)  that  "  he  that  giveth  to  the  poor 
shall  not  lack ,"  and  the  promise  is  not  re- 
stricted to  the  saints  :  and  our  observation  of 


CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   TO   DO   GOOD.        159 


providence  shows,  that  men's  gifts  to  the 
poor  are  almost  as  surely  prospered  of  God  to 
themselves,  as  the  seed  which  thej  sow  in 
the  field.  It  is  easy  for  God  to  make  nj),  and 
more  than  make  up  to  us  all  that  we  thus  give 
for  the  good  of  others.  It  is  of  this  very  kind 
of  giving,  that  the  Apostle  tells  the  Corinthians 
(2  Corinthians  ix.  6-8)  that  "  he  that  soweth 
bountifully  shall  reap  also  bountifully  ;"  add- 
ing that  "  God  loveth  the  cheerful  giver,"  and 
that  he  "is  able  to  make  all  grace  abound  to- 
ward them ;"  that  is,  to  make  all  their  gifts 
abound  to  themselves.  Many  persons  do  but 
little  consider  how  much  their  prosperity 
depends  on  Providence.  And  yet,  even  for 
this  world,  "  it  is  the  blessing  of  God  that 
that  maketh  rich"  (Proverbs  x.  22) ;  and  of 
him  that  considereth  the  poor,  it  is  written 
(Psalm  xli.  1)  that  "  the  Lord  will  deliver  him 
in  time  of  trouble."  And  if  we  give  in  the 
way  and  with  the  spirit  of  Christian  charity, 
we  shall  thus  lay  uj)  treasure  in  heaven,  and 
receive  at  last  the  rewards  of  eternity.  This 
is  that  laying  up  of  treasures  that  fail  not,  of 
which  Christ  speaks  (Luke  xii.  33),  and  as  to 
which  he  declares  (Luke  xiv.  13,  14,  15),  tliat 
though  the  poor  whom  we  benefit  cannot  rec- 


160        CHARITY   DISPOSES   US   TO   DO   GOOD. 


ompense  us,  "we  shall  be  recompensed  at 
the  resurrection  of  the  just."  This,  then,  is 
the  best  way  of  laying  up  for  time  or  for  eter- 
nity. It  is  the  best  way  of  laying  up  for  our- 
selves, and  the  best  way  of  laying  up  for  our 
posterity ;  for  of  the  good  man,  who  showeth 
favor  and  lendeth,  it  is  written  (Psalm  cxii.) 
that  "  his  horn  shall  be  exalted  with  honor," 
and  that  "his  seed  shall  be  mighty  upon 
earth,  and  wealth  and  riches  shall  be  in  his 
house,  and  his  righteousness  endureth  for- 
ever." And  when  Christ  shall  come  to  judg- 
ment, and  all  people  shall  be  gathered  before 
him,  then  to  those  who  were  kind  and  benevo- 
lent, in  the  true  spirit  of  Christian  love,  to  the 
suffering  and  the  poor,  he  shall  say  (Matthew 
XXV.  34,  35,  36,  40),  "  Come  ye  blessed  of  my 
father,  inherit  the  kingdom  prepared  for  you 
from  the  foundation  of  the  world  :  for  I  was 
an  hungered,  and  ye  gave  me  meat;  I  was 
thirsty,  and  ye  gave  me  drink ;  I  was  a 
stranger,  and  ye  took  me  in  ;  naked,  and  ye 
clothed  me  ;  I  was  sick,  and  ye  visited  me  ; 
I  was  in  prison,  and  ye  came  unto  me." 
"  Yerily,  I  say  unto  you,  inasmuch  as  ye  have 
done  it  unto  one  of  the  least  of  tho.be,  my 
brethren,  ye  ha/ve  done  if  unto  me  /" 


LECTURE  YL 

OHJkRIlT  INCONSISTENT  WITH  AN  ENVIOUS  SPIBIT. 
"  Charity  envieth  not." — 1  Cor.  xiii.  4. 

Having  already  seen  the  nature  and  tenden- 
cy of  Christian  charity,  or  divine  love,  with  re- 
spect to  the  evil  received  from  others,  that  it 
^'' sniffers  long^'^  and  also  with  respect  to  doing 
good  to  others,  that  it  "^'5  hind^''  we  now 
come  to  the  feelings  and  conduct  to  which  the 
same  charity  will  lead  us  in  respect  to  the 
good  possessed  by  others,  and  that  possessed 
by  ourselves.  And  in  reference  to  the  good 
possessed  by  others,  the  Apostle  declares  it  to 
be  the  nature  and  tendency  of  charity,  or  true 
Christian  love,  not  to  envy  them  the  posses- 
sion of  any  good  whatever  which  is  theirs. 
''  Charity  envieth  not.''''  The  teaching  of  these 
words  plainly  is, 

That  charity  or  a  truly  Christian  spirit, 
IS   the  very  opposite  of  an    envious  spirit 


i62  CHARITY    INCONSISTENT 


In  dwelling  on  this  thought,  I  wonld  show, 
1,  What  is  the  nature  of  an  envious  spirit ;  2, 
Wherein  a  Christian  spirit  is  the  opposite  of 
such  a  spirit ;  3,  The  reason  and  evidence  of 
the  doctrine.     At  A, 

I.  The  nature  of  envy. — Envy  may  be  de- 
fined to  be  a  spirit  of  dissatisfaction  with  ?i['A 
opposition  to  the  prosperity  and  happiness  of 
others  as  compared  with  our  own.  The  thing 
that  the  envious  person  is  opposed  to  and  dis- 
likes, is,  the  comparative  superiority  of  the 
state  of  honor,  or  prosperity  or  happiness,  that 
another  may  enjoy,  over  that  which  he  pos- 
sesses. And  this  spirit  is  especially  called 
envy,  when  we  dislike  and  are  opposed  to 
another's  honor  or  prosperity,  because,  in  gen- 
eral, it  is  greater  than  our  own,  or  because,  in 
particular,  they  have  some  honor  or  enjoy- 
ment that  we  have  not.  It  is  a  disposition 
natural  in  men,  that  they  love  to  be  upper- 
most ;  and  this  disposition  is  directly  crossed, 
when  they  see  others  above  them.  And  it  is 
from  this  spirit,  that  men  dislike  and  are  op- 
posed to  the  prosperity  of  others,  because  they 
think  it  makes  those  who  possess  it,  superior, 
in  some  respect,  to  themselves.  And  from 
this  same  disposition,  a  person  may  dislike  an^ 


WITH   AN   ENVIOUS   SPIRIT.  1(>3 


other's  being  equal  to  himself  in  honor  or  hap- 
piness, or  in  having  the  same  sources  of  enjoy- 
ments that  he  has  ;  for  as  men  very  commonly 
are,  they  cannot  bear  a  rival,  much,  if  any 
better  than  a  superior,  for  they  love  to  be  sin- 
gular and  alone  in  their  eminence  and  ad- 
vancement. Such  a  spirit  is  called  envy  in 
the  Scriptures.  Thus  Moses  speaks  of  Joshua's 
envying  for  his  sake^  when  Eldad  and  Medad 
were  admitted  to  the  same  privilege  with  him- 
self in  having  the  spirit  of  prophecy  given 
them,  saying  (lumbers  xi.  29),  "  Enviest  thou 
for  my  sake  ?  Would  God  that  all  the  Lord's 
people  were  prophets,  and  that  the  Lord  would 
put  his  spirit  upon  them."  And  Joseph's 
brethren,  we  are  told  (Genesis  xxvii.  11),  en- 
vied him  when  they  had  heard  his  dream, 
which  implied  that  his  parents  and  brethren 
were  yet  to  bow  down  before  him,  and  that  he 
was  to  have  power  over  them.  From  such  a 
spirit,  persons  are  not  only  unwilling  that 
others  should  be  above  them  or  equal  to  them, 
but  that  they  should  be  near  them  ;  for  the 
desire  to  be  distinguished  in  prosperity  and 
honor,  is  the  more  gratified  just  in  proportion 
as  they  are  elevated  and  others  are  below 
them,  so  that  their  comparative  eminence  may 


10  i  CHARITY    INCONSISTENT 


be  marked  and  visible  to  all.  And  this  dis- 
position may  be  exercised,  either  in  reference 
to  the  prosperity  that  others  may  obtain  and 
of  which  they  are  capable,  or  in  reference  to 
that  which  they  actually  have  obtained.  In 
the  latter  form,  which  is  the  most  common, 
the  feeling  of  envy  will  be  manifest  in  two 
respects,  first,  in  respect  to  their  prosperity, 
and  next  in  respect  to  themselves.     And, 

1.  It  will  be  manifest  in  an  uneasiness  and 
dissatisfaction  with  the  prosj)erity  of  others. 
Instead  of  rejoicing  in  the  prosperity  of 
others,  the  envious  man  will  be  troubled  with 
it.  It  will  be  a  grievance  to  his  spirit  to  see 
them  rise  so  high,  and  come  to  such  honors 
and  advancement.  It  is  no  comfortable  feel- 
ing to  him  to  hear  of  their  having  obtained 
Buch  and  such  advantages  and  honors  and  pre- 
ferments, but  on  the  contrary  very  uncom- 
fortable. He  is  very  much  of  the  spirit  of 
Haman,  who  in  view  of  all  "  the  glory  of  his 
riches,  and  the  multitude  of  his  children,  and 
all  the  things  wherein  the  king  had  promoted 
him,"  still  could  say  (Esther  v.  13),  "yet  all 
this  availeth  me  nothing,  so  long  as  I  see 
Mordecai  the  Jew  sitting  in  the  king's  gate." 
From  such  a  spir't,  the  envious  person  stands 


WITH   AN   ENVIOUS   SPIRIT.  165 


ready  to  rejoice  at  anything  that  happens  to 
diminish  the  honor  and  comfort  of  others. 
He  is  glad  to  see  them  brought  down,  and 
will  even  study  how  to  lower  their  estate,  as 
Hainan  did  how  to  humble  and  bring  down 
Mordecai.  And  often,  like  Haman,  he  will 
show  his  uneasiness,  not  only  by  planning 
and  scheming,  but  by  actual  endeavors  of  one 
kind  or  another,  to  bring  them  down  ;  and 
the  very  first  opportunity  of  pulling  them  down 
that  oifers,  he  will  gladly  embrace.  And  it 
is  from  this  disposition,  that  the  sight,  even,  of 
others'  prosperity,  often  sets  the  envious  on 
talking  against  them  and  speaking  evil  of 
them,  even  when  perhaps  they  do  not  know 
them.  Envying  them  the  prominence  they 
have  obtained,  they  hope,  by  speaking  evil 
of  them,  in  some  measure  to  diminish  their 
honors,  and  lower  them  in  the  esteem  of  men. 
This  suggests,  agaiix, 

2.  That  the  opposition  of  the  envious  to  the 
prosperity  of  others  will  be  manifest  in  a  dis- 
like of  their  persons  for  it.  Seeing  how  others 
prosper,  and  what  honors  they  attain,  the  en- 
vious dislike,  and  even  hate  them,  on  account 
of  their  honor  and  prosperity.  They  enter- 
tain and  cherish  an  evil  spirit  toward  them, 
12 


166  CHAEITY   INCONSISTENT 


for  no  otlier  reason  but  that  tliey  are  pros- 
pered. TLey  are  embittered  against  tliem  in 
spirit,  only  because  they  are  eminent  in  namo 
or  fortune.  Thus  Haman,  it  is  said  (Esther 
V.  9),  ""Was  full  of  indignation  against  Mor- 
decai,"  because  he  saw  him  "  in  the  king's 
gate,"  and  because  "  he  stood  not  up,  nor 
moved  for  him ;"  and  Joseph's  brethren 
(Genesis  xxxvii.  4,  5)  "  hated  him  and  could 
not  speak  peaceably  unto  him,"  because  his 
father  loved  him ;  and  when  he  had  dreamed 
a  dream  implying  their  inferiority,  "  they 
hated  him  yet  the  more."  And  so  the  envious 
generally  resent  the  prosperity  of  others  and 
their  coming  to  honor,  as  if  in  it  they  were 
guilty  of  some  injury  to  themselves.  Some- 
times there  is  a  settled  hatred  toward  others 
upon  this  account,  leading  as  in  the  case  of 
Joseph's  brethren  (Genesis  xxxvii.  19-28),  to 
acts  of  the  greatest  cruelty  and  wickedness. 
But  this  may  suffice  for  the  nature  of  this 
envy ;  and  I  proceed  to  show, 

II.  ^Y7herein  a  Christian  spirit  is  the  oppo- 
site of  such  a  spirit  of  envy.    And, 

1.  A  Christian  spirit  disallows  of  the  exer. 
cise  and  express^iwis  of  s^uch  a  spirit.  He  that 
is  influenced  in  the  coui-se  of  his  life  and  ac- 


WITH    AN    ENVIOUS    SPIRIT.  107 


tions  by  Christian  principles,  thongh  he  njay 
nave  envy  as  well  as  other  corrupt  feelings  in 
"nis  heart,  yet  abhors  its  spirit  as  unbecoming 
in  himself  as  a  Christian,  and  contrary  to  the 
nature  and  will  and  spirit  of  God.  lie  sees 
it  to  be  a  most  odious  and  hateful  spirit,  and 
he  sees  its  odiousness  not  only  in  others,  but 
also  and  equally  in  himself.  And  therefore 
whenever  he  perceives  its  emotions  risi.ig 
within  him  on  any  occasion,  or  toward  any 
person,  so  far  as  he  is  influenced  by  a  Chris- 
tian spirit  he  will  be  alarmed  at  it,  and  will 
fio'ht  aerainst,  and  will  not  allow  its  exercise 
for  a  moment.  He  will  not  suffer  it  to  break 
forth  and  show  itself  in  words  or  actions  ;  and 
he  will  be  grieved  at  wliatever  he  sees  of  its 
movements  in  his  heart,  and  will  crucif}' 
within  him  the  hateful  disposition,  and  do  all 
in  his  power  to  go  contrary  to  it  in  his  out- 
ward actions. 

2.  A  Christian  spirit  not  only  opposes  the 
exercise  and  outward  expressions  of  an  en- 
vious spirit,  hut  it  tends  to  mortify  its  jj7nnci- 
jple  and  disposition  hi  the  heart.  So  far  as  a 
Christian  spirit  prevails,  it  not  only  checks 
the  outward  actings  of  envy,  but  it  tends  to 
aiortify  and  subdue  the  very  principle  itself 


1(58  CHARITY   INCONSISTENT 


in  the  heart ;  so  that  just  in  proportion  to  the 
power  of  the  former,  the  individual  will  cease 
to  feel  any  inclination  to  be  grieved  at  the 
prosperity  of  others,  and  still  more  will  cease 
to  dislike  them,  or  entertain  any  ill-will  to- 
ward them  on  account  of  it.  A  Christian 
spirit  disposes  us  to  feel  contentment  with  our 
own  condition,  and  with  the  state  which  God 
has  given  us  among  men,  and  to  a  quietness 
and  satisfaction  of  spirit  with  regard  to  the 
allotments  and  distributions  of  stations  and 
possessions  which  God  in  his  wise  and  kind 
providence  has  made  to  ourselves  and  others. 
Whether  our  rank  be  as  high  as  that  of  the  an- 
gels, or  as  low  as  that  of  the  beggar  at  the  rich 
man's  gate  (Luke  xvi.  20),  we  shall  equally  be 
satisfied  with  it  as  the  post  in  which  God  hath 
placed  us,  and  shall  equally  respect  ourselves 
if  we  are  endeavoring  faithfully  to  serve  him 
in  it.  Like  the  Apostle  (Philippians  iv.  11), 
we  shall  learn,  if  we  do  but  have  a  Christian 
spirit,  "  in  whatsoever  state  we  are,  therewith 
to  be  content."     But, 

3.  A  Christian  spirit  not  only  disallows  the 
exercise  and  expression  of  envy,  and  tends  to 
mortify  its  principle  and  disposition  m  tlie 
heart,  but  it  disjwses  us  to  rejoice  in  the  proa 


WITH   AN   ENVIOUS   SPIRIT.  1()9 


jpertty  of  others.  It  disposes  ns  to  a  cheerful 
and  habitual  compliance  with  that  rule  given 
by  the  Apostle  (Romans  xii.  10)  that  we  "  re- 
joice with  them  that  do  rejoice,  and  weep  with 
them  that  weep ;" — i.  e.  that  we  sympathize 
with  their  estate  and  condition,  in  the  spirit  we 
should  feel  if  it  were  our  own.  Such  a  spirit 
of  benevolence  and  good-will,  will  cast  out  the 
evil  spirit  of  envy,  and  enable  us  to  find  hap- 
piness in  seeing  our  neighbor  prospered.  I 
now  proceed  as  proposed,  to  show, 

III.  The  reason  and  evidence  of  the  doctrine 
stated  j  or  to  shoiu  that  it  is  so^  and  why  it  is 
so^  that  a  Christian  spirit  is  thus  the  opposite 
of  a  spirit  of  envy. — And  this  will  appear  if 
we  consider  three  things :  first^  how  much  a 
spirit  and  practice  contrary  to  an  envious 
spirit,  is  insisted  on  in  the  precepts  that  Christ 
has  given  ;  second.^  how  much  the  history  and 
doctrines  of  the  gospel  hold  forth  to  enforce 
these  precepts;  and,  thvrd^  how  much  a  spirit 
of  Christian  love  will  dispose  us  to  yield  to 
the  authority  of  these  precepts,  and  the  influ- 
ence of  the  motives  enforcing  them.     And, 

1.  A  spirit  and  practice  entirely  contrai-^j 
to  an  envious  spirit.^  is  much  insisted  on  in  the 
precepts  of  Christ — The  Xew  Testament  \% 


170  CHARITY   INCONSISTENT 


full  of  precepts  of  good-will  to  others,  and  of 
precepts  enjoining  the  principles  of  mtiek- 
ness,  humility,  and  beneficence,  all  of  wliich 
are  opposed  to  a  spirit  of  envy  ;  and  in  addi- 
tion to  these,  we  have  many  particularwarii- 
ings  against  envy  itself.  The  Apostle  exhorts 
(Romans  xiii.  13)  that  we  ''  walk  honestly,  as 
in  the  day,  not  in  strife  and  envying  ;^^  and 
again  (1  Corinthians  iii.  3),  he  blames  the  Co- 
rinthians as  being  yet  carnal,  because  there 
was  envying  among  them  ;  and  still  again 
(2  Corinthians  xii.  20),  he  mentions  his  fears 
concerning  them,  lest  he  should  find  among 
them  envyiiigs^  and  that  too  coupled,  as  envy- 
ings  too  often  are,  with  "  wraths,  strifes,  back- 
bitings,  whis2)erings, swellings,  tumults;"  and 
again  (Galatians  v.  21),  envy  is  ranked  among 
the  abominable  works  of  the  flesh,  such  as 
"murders,  drunkenness,  re  veilings,  &c. ;"  and 
again  (1  Timothy  vi.  4),  it  is  condemned  as 
implying  great  wickedness  ;  and  again  (Titus 
iii.  3),  it  is  mentioned  as  one  of  the  hateful 
Bins  that  Christians  had  lived  in  before  their 
conversion,  but  which  they  are  now  redeemed 
from,  and  therefore  should  confess  and  tor- 
Bake.  And  in  the  same  spirit,  the  Apostie 
James  (iii.  14,  16),  speaks  of  <.nvy  as  e^ceea 


WITH   AN   ENVIOUS    SPIRIT.  171 


Ing  contrary  to  Christianity,  and  as  connected 
with  every  evil  work,  being  earthly,  sensual, 
devilish;  and  he  warns  us  against  it  (v.  9) 
saying,  "  Grudge  not  one  against  another, 
brethren,  lest  ye  be  condemned :  behold  the 
judge  standeth  before  the  door;"  and  to  quote 
but  one  more  instance,  the  Apostle  Peter 
(1  Peter  ii.  1  and  2)  warns  us  against  all  en- 
mes^  as  connected  with  various  other  evils, 
and  as  preventing  our  growth  in  divine 
things.  Thus  we  see  that  the  JS'ew  Testa- 
ment is  full  of  precepts  which  Christ  has  left 
us,  which  enjoin  the  very  opposite  of  the  spirit 
of  envy.     And  these  precepts, 

2.  Are  strongly  enforced  hy  the  doctrines  and 
history  of  the  gospel. — If  we  consider  the 
Christian  scheme  of  doctrine^  we  shall  find 
that  it  tends  strongly  to  enforce  the  precepts 
we  have  considered ;  for  all  of  it,  from  begin- 
ning to  end,  strongly  tends  to  the  contrary 
of  an  envious  spirit.  In  all  its  bearings 
and  teachings,  the  Christian  form  of  doctrine 
militates  against  a  spirit  of  envy.  The  tilings 
it  teaches  as  to  God  are  exceeding  contrary 
to  it ;  for  there  we  are  told  how  far  God  was 
from  begrudging  us  the  most  exceeding  honor 
and   blessedness,   and   how  he  has  withheld 


i'«2  CHARITY    INCONSISTENT 


nothing  as  too  much  to  be  done  for  us,  or  as 
too  great  or  good  to  be  given  us.  He  has  not 
begrudged  ns  his  only -begotten  and  Vy^ell-be- 
loved  son,  wlio  was  dearer  to  him  than  every- 
thing beside;  nor  hath  he  begrudged  us  tlie 
highest  honor  and  blessedness  in  and  through 
him.  The  doctrines  of  the  gospel  also  teach 
us,  how  far  Christ  was  from  begrudging  us 
anything  that  he  could  do  for,  or  give  us.  He 
did  not  begrudge  us  a  life  spent  in  labor  and 
suffering,  or  his  own  precious  blood  which  he 
shed  for  us  on  the  cross ;  nor  will  he  begrudge 
us  a  throne  of  glory  with  him  in  the  heavens, 
where  we  shall  live  and  reign  with  him  for 
ever.  The  Christian  scheme  of  doctrine 
teaches  us  how  Christ  came  into  the  world  to 
deliver  us  from  the  power  of  Satan's  envy  to- 
ward us;  for  the  devil,  with  miserable  base- 
ness^ envied  mankind  the  happiness  that  they 
at  first  had,  and  could  not  bear  to  see  them  in 
their  happy  state  in  Eden,  and  therefore  ex- 
erted himself  to  the  utmost  for  tlieir  ruin, 
which  he  accomplished.  And  the  gospel 
also  teaches,  how  Christ  came  into  the  world 
to  destroy  the  works  of  the  devil,  and  deliver 
LIS  from  that  misery  into  which  his  envy  hath 
Vought  us,  and   to  purify  our  natui-e^^  from 


WITH  AN  ENVIOirS   SPIRIT.  17t 


every  trace  of  the  same  spirit,  that  we  may  be 
fitted  for  heaven. 

And  if  in  addition  to  the  doctrine  of  the 
gospel,  we  consider  its  history^  we  shall  find 
that  it  also  tends  greatly  to  enforce  those  pre- 
cepts that  forbid  envy.  And  particularly  is 
this  true  of  the  history  of  the  life  of  Christ, 
and  the  example  he  has  set  us.  How  far  was 
he  from  a  spirit  of  envy  !  How  contented  in 
the  low  and  afflictive  circumstances  in  which 
he  voluntarily  placed  himself  for  our  sakes  ! 
And  how  far  was  he  from  envying  those  that 
were  of  worldly  wealth  and  honor,  or  covet- 
ing their  condition !  He  rather  chose  to  con- 
tinue in  his  own  low  estate;  and  when  the 
multitude,  filled  with  admiration  of  his  teach- 
ing and  his  miracles,  on  one  occasion  stood 
ready  to  make  him  a  king,  he  refused  the 
high  honor  they  intended  to  put  upon  him, 
and  withdrew  himself  to  be  out  of  their  way 
(John  vi.  15),  and  went  away  into  a  mountain 
alone.  And  when  John  the  Baptist  was  so 
greatly  honored  by  the  people  as  a  distin- 
guished prophet,  and  all  Judea  and  Jerusalem 
went  out  to  hear  him  and  to  be  baptized  of 
iD\nu  Christ  envied  him  not,  but  himself  went 
out  to  be  baptized  of  him  in  Jordan,  though  ho 


174  CHAKITY    INCONSISTENT 


was  Jolin's  lord  and  master;  and  John,  as  ho 
himself  testified,  had  need  to  be  baptized  of 
him.  And  so  far  was  he  from  begrudging  to 
his  disciples  any  honors  or  privileges  as  too 
great  for  them,  that  he  told  and  promised 
them  (John  xiv.  12),  that  after  his  death  and 
ascension,  they  should  do  greater  works  than 
be  had  done  while  he  remained  with  them. 
And,  as  we  find  in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles, 
all  that  he  foretold,  in  a  little  while  came  true. 
And, 

3.  The  true  sjpirit  of  Christian  love  will  dis- 
pose us  to  yield  to  the  authority  of  these  pre- 
cepts^ and  to  the  influence  of  the  motives  enfor- 
cing them. — And  the  spirit  of  love  will  dis- 
pose us  to  this,  directly,  or  by  its  immediate 
tendency ;  and  indirectly,  as  it  teaches  and 
leads  us  to  humility. 

First.,  Christian  love  disposes  us  to  hearken 
to  the  precepts  that  forbid  envy,  and  to  the 
gospel  motives  against  it,  hy  its  own  imme- 
diate tendency.  The  nature  of  charity  or 
Christian  love  to  men  is  directly  contrary  to 
envy ;  for  love  does  not  grudge,  but  re- 
joices at  the  good  of  those  who  are  lovea. 
And  surely  love  to  our  neighbor  does  not  a\s- 
pose  us  to  hate  him  for  iiis  prosperity,  or  r)© 


WITH   AN   ENVIOUS   SPIRIT.  115 


unliappj  at  his  good.  And  love  to  God,  also, 
has  a  direct  tendency  to  influence  us  to  obey 
his  commands.  The  natural,  gennine,  uni- 
form fruit  of  love  to  God,  is,  obedience  ;  and 
therefore  it  will  tend  to  obedience  to  those 
commands  wherein  he  forbids  envy,  as  much 
as  others,  yea,  to  them  more  especially,  be- 
cause love  delights  to  obey  no  commands  so 
much  as  those  that  reqnire  love.  And  so  love 
to  God  will  dispose  us  to  follow  his  example, 
in  that  he  has  not  begrudged  us  our  manifold 
blessings,  bnt  has  lejoiced  in  our  enjoyment; 
and  it  will  dispose  us  to  imitate  the  example 
of  Christ  in  not  begrudging  his  life  for  our 
sakes,  and  to  imitate  the  example  he  set  us  in 
the  whole  course  of  his  life  on  earth.     And, 

Second^  A  sj)irit  of  Christian  love  disposes 
to  the  same,  also,  indirectly,  hy  inclining  us  to 
humility.  It  is  pride  that  is  the  great  root 
and  source  of  envy.  It  is  because  of  the 
pride  of  men's  hearts,  that  they  have  such  a 
burning  desire  to  be  distinguished,  and  to  be 
superior  to  all  others  in  honor  and  prosperity, 
and  which  makes  them  so  uneasy  and  dissat- 
islied  in  seeing  others  above  them.  But  a 
fepifit  of  love  tends  to  mortify  23ride,  and  to 
work   liumility  in   the   heart.     Love  to  God 


176  CHAEITT   INCONSISTENT 


tends  to  this,  as  it  implies  a  sense  of  God's 
infinite  excellence,  and  therefore  tends  to  a 
sense  of  our  comparative  nothingness  and  un- 
worthiness.  And  love  to  men  tends  to  an 
humble  behavior  among  men,  as  it  disposes 
us  to  acknowledge  the  excellencies  of  others, 
and  that  the  honors  bestowed  on  them  are 
their  due,  and  to  esteem  them  better  than 
ourselves,  and  thus  more  deserving  of  dis- 
tinction than  we  are.  But  I  will  not  now 
dwell  more  particularly  on  this  point,  as  in  a 
future  lecture  I  shall  have  occasion  more 
fully  to  show  how  Christian  love  tends  to 
humility.  Passing  then,  in  conclusion,  to  the 
application  of  the  subject,  I  remark, 

1.  It  should  lead  tis  to  examine  ourselves^ 
whether  we  are  in  any  degree  under  the  influ- 
ence of  an  envious  sjyirit. — Let  us  examine 
ourselves  as  to  time  past  and  look  over  our 
past  behavior  among  men.  Many  of  us  have 
long  been  members  of  human  society,  having 
lived  by  others,  and  having  had  -to  do  with 
them  in  very  many  ways,  and  being  connect- 
ed with  them  on  many  occasions  both  in  pub- 
lic and  private  affairs.  And  we  have  seen 
others  in  prosperity,  and  it  may  be  prosper- 
ing:  in    t^cir   affairs   more    than    ourselve«i. 


WITH   AN   ENVIOUS   SPIEIT.  177 


They  have  had  more  of  the  world,  and  have 
been  possessed  of  greater  riches,  and  have 
lived  in  greater  ease,  and  in  mnch  more  hon- 
orable circnmstances  than  we  have  enjoyed. 
And  perhaps  some  that  heretofore  we  nsed  to 
look  npon  as  our  equals,  or  even  as  inferiors, 
we  may  have  seen  growing  in  wealth,  or  ad- 
vancing in  honor  and  prosperity  while  we  have 
been  left  behind,  until  now  they  have  reached  a 
station  far  superior  to  our  own.  It  may  be  that 
we  have  seen  such  changes,  and  been  called 
to  bear  such  trials  through  a  great  part  of  the 
course  of  our  life  ;  and  certainly  w^e  have 
often  seen  others  abounding  in  all  that  the 
world  esteems  of  value,  while  we  have  been 
comparatively  destitute  of  these  things.  And 
now  let  us  inquire  liow  these  things  have 
affected  us,  and  how  have  our  hearts  stood, 
and  what  has  been  our  behavior  in  these  cir- 
cumstances ?  Has  there  not  been  a  great 
deal  of  uneasiness,  dissatisfaction,  and  un- 
comfortable feeling,  and  of  a  desire  to  see 
those  who  were  j^rosperous  brought  down  ? 
Have  we  not  been  glad  to  hear  of  anything 
to  their  disadvantage  ;  and  in  the  forebodings 
we  have  expressed  about  them,  have  we  not 
m  reality  spoken  out  our  wishes  ;  and  in  word 


178  CHAHITY   INCONSISTENT 


or  deed,  have  we  not  been,  ready  to  do  that 
which  might  in  some  respect  lessen  their  pros- 
perity or  honor?  Have  we  ever  cherished  a 
bitter  or  unkind  spirit  toward  another  because 
of  his  prosperity,  or  been  ready  on  account 
of  it  to  look  upon  him  with  an  evil  eye,  or  to 
oppose  him  in  public  affairs,  or  from  an  en- 
vious spirit  to  act  with  the  party  that  might 
be  against  him?  As  we  look  back  on  the 
past,  do  we  not  see  that  in  these  and  many 
other  kindred  things  we  have  often  exercised 
and  allowed  an  envious  spirit,  and  many  times 
have  not  our  hearts  burned  with  it  toward 
others  ? 

And  turning  from  the  past  to  the  present, 
what  spirit  do  you  now  find  as  you  search  your 
heart  ?  Do  you  carry  any  old  grudge  in  your 
heart  against  this  or  that  man  that  you  see 
sitting  with  you  from  Sabbath  to  Sab^iith  in 
the  house  of  God,  and  from  time  to  tip^e  sit- 
ting with  you  at  the  Lord's  table  ?  Is  it'»t  the 
prosperity  of  one  and  another,  an  eye-g*>re  to 
you  ;  and  does  it  not  make  your  life  u'^conv 
fortable  that  they  are  higher  than  you  •  and 
would  it  not  be  truly  a  comfort  to  you  t-)  see 
them  brought  down,  so  that  their  lossep  and 
depression  would  be  a  source  of  inware*  ^<*f 


WITH   AN   ENVIOUS   SPIRIT.  171> 


and  gladness  to  your  heart  ?  And  does  not 
this  same  spirit  lead  you  often  to  think  evil, 
or  to  speak  with  contempt,  or  unkindness,  or 
severity  of  such  to  those  about  you  ?  And  let 
those  who  are  above  others  in  prosperity,  in- 
quire, whether  they  do  not  allow  and  exercise 
a  spirit  of  opposition  to  the  comparative  hap- 
piness of  those  below  them?  Is  there  not  a 
disposition  in  you  to  pride  yourself  on  being 
above  them,  and  a  desire  that  they  should  not 
rise  higher,  lest  they  come  to  be  equal  or 
superior  to  you :  and  from  this  are  you  not 
willing  to  see  them  down,  and  even  to  help 
them  down  to  the  utmost,  lest  at  some  time 
they  may  get  above  you  ?  And  does  not  all 
this  show,  that  you  are  very  much  under  the 
influence  of  an  envious  spirit?  But  it  may  be 
that  in  all  this  you  may  justify  yourself,  not 
giving  it  the  name  of  envy,  but  some  other 
name,  and  having  various  excuses  for  your 
envious  spirit  by  which  you  account  yourself 
justified  in  its  exercise.  Some  are  ready  to 
say  of  others  that  they  are  not  worthy  of  the 
honor  and  prosperity  they  have ;  that  they 
have  not  half  the  fitness  or  worthiness  of  the 
honor  and  advancement  they  have,  that  many 
of  their  neighbors  have  who  are  below  them. 


180  CHARITY    INCONSISTENT 


And  where,  I  ask,  is  the  man  in  the  world  who 
envies  another  for  his  honor  or  prosperity,  but 
h  ready  to  think  or  say,  that  that  other  is  not 
worthy  of  his  prosperity  and  honors  ?  Did  Jo- 
seph's brethren  esteem  him  worthy  of  the 
peculiar  love  of  his  father?  Did  Hamaii 
think  Mordecai  worthy  of  the  honor  the  king 
conferred  on  him  ?  Or  did  the  Jews  think  the 
Gentiles  worthy  of  the  privileges  extended  to 
them  under  the  gospel,  when  they  were  so 
filled  with  envy  on  this  account,  as  is  related 
in  the  Acts  of  the  Apostles,  xiii.  45,  and  xvii. 
5  ?  It  is  generally  the  case,  that  w^hen  others 
are  pi'omoted  to  honor,  or  in  any  respect  come 
to  remarkable  prosperity,  some  are  always 
ready  to  improve  the  occasion  to  tell  of  their 
faults,  and  set  forth  their  unworthiness,  and 
rake  up  all  possible  evil  about  them.  Where- 
as it  is  not  so  much  that  they  have  faults,  for 
these  would  often  be  unnoticed  if  they  were 
in  obscurity,  as  it  is  that  they  are  prospered, 
and  those  who  talk  about  their  faults  are  en- 
vious of  their  prosperity,  and  therefore  speak 
against  them.  And  I  would  desire  such  per- 
sons as  think  that  they  are  to  be  justified  in 
their  opposition  to  others  because  they  are  not 
worthy  of  their  prosperity,  diligently  to  in- 


WITH    AN   ENVIOUS   SPIRIT.  181 


quire  which  it  is  that  pains  and  troubles  them 
most,  their  neighbor's  faults,  or  his  prosperity. 
If  it  be  their  faults,  then  you  would  be  grieved 
on  account  of  them  whether  the  persons  were 
prospered  or  not;  and  if  truly  grieved  with 
their  faults,  then  you  would  be  very  slow  to 
speak  of  them  except  to  themselves,  and  then 
in  the  true  spirit  of  Christian  compassion  and 
friendship.  But  you  may  say,  they  make  a 
bad  use  of  their  prosperity  and  honor;  that 
they  are  lifted  up  by  it,  and  cannot  bear,  or  do 
not  know  how  to  manage  it;  that  they  are  in- 
sufferable, and  scornful,  and  there  is  no  doing 
anything  with  them  in  their  prosperity ;  and 
it  is  best  they  should  be  brought  down;  that 
this  will  tend  to  humble  them,  and  that  the 
best  thing  for  their  own  good,  is,  to  bring 
them  down  to  the  place  where  they  belong, 
and  which  is  fittest  for  them.  But  here  let 
me  urge  you  strictly  to  inquire  whether  you 
do  in  truth  lament  the  injury  their  prosperity 
does  them,  and  whether  you  mourn  it  for 
their  sakes,  and  because  you  love  them  ?  Do 
your  lamentations  spring  from  pity,  or  from 
envy  2  If  you  dislike  their  prosperity  because 
it  is  not  best  for  them,  but  does  them  hurt,  then 

you  will  grieve  for  their  calamity,  and  not  at 
13 


182  CHARITY   INCONSISTENT 


their  prosperity.  You  will  sincerely  love  them  ; 
and  out  of  this  love,  will  be  heartily  sorry  for 
their  calamity,  and  feel  a  true  compassion  of 
heart  for  them  that  the  disadvantages  of  their 
prosperous  state  are  so  much  greater  than  its 
advantages.  But  is  this  in  truth  your  real 
feeling?  Do  not  deceive  yourself.  Is  it  their 
calamity  that  you  are  grieved  at,  or  is  it 
merely  that  they  are  prospered?  Is  it  that 
you  are  grieved  for  them,  that  their  prosperity 
injures  them,  or  for  yourself,  that  their  pros- 
perity is  not  yours  ?  And  here  also  let  every 
one  inquire,  whether  they  do  not  sometimes 
envy  others  for  their  spiritual  prosperity? 
You  remember  what  was  the  spirit  of  Cain 
toward  Abel,  of  the  seed  of  the  serpent  toward 
the  seed  of  the  woman,  of  Ishmael  toward 
Isaac,  of  the  Jews  toward  Christ,  of  the  elder 
brother  toward  the  prodigal.  Beware  that 
you  cherish  not  their  spirit;  but  rather  re- 
joice in  the  good  estate  of  others,  as  much  as 
if  it  were  your  own. 

2.  The  subject  also  exhorts  us  to  disallow 
and  put  away  everything  approaching  to  an 
envious  spirit. — So  contrary  is  the  spirit  of 
envy  to  a  Christian  spirit,  so  evil  in  itself,  and 
so  injurious  to  others,  that  it  should  be  disal- 


WITH   AN   ENVIOUS   SPIRIT.  183 


lowed  and  put  away  by  all,  and  especially  by 
those  who  profess  to  be  Christians.  Great 
numbers  cherish  the  hope  that  this  is  their 
character,  and  that  they  have  been  endued 
with  a  new  spirit,  even  the  spirit  of  Christ. 
Let  it  then  be  evident  to  all  that  such  is  your 
spirit  by  the  exercise  of  that  charity  that  en- 
vieth  not.  In  the  language  of  the  Apostle 
(James  iii.  13,  14,  15,  16),  ''Who  is  a  wise 
man,  and  endued  with  knowledge  among 
you?  Let  him  show,  out  of  a  good  conversa- 
tion, his  works  with  meekness  of  wisdom.  But 
if  ye  have  bitter  envying  and  strife  in  your 
hearts,  glory  not,  and  lie  not  against  the 
truth.  This  wisdom  descendeth  not  from 
above,  but  is  earthly,  sensual,  devilish ;  for 
where  envying  and  strife  is,  there  is  confusion 
and  every  evil  work.''  The  spirit  of  envy  is 
the  very  contrary  of  the  spirit  of  heaven, 
where  all  rejoice  in  the  happine. »  of  others ; 
and  it  is  the  very  spirit  of  hell  itsf  If,  which  is 
a  most  hateful  spirit,  and  one  that  feeds 
itself  on  the  ruin  of  the  prosperity  and  happi- 
ness of  others,  on  which  account  some  have 
compared  envious  persons  to  intoq)i  liars, 
which  delight  most  in  devouring  the  most; 
flourishing  trees  and   plants.     And  as  an   en- 


184:  CHAKITY   INCONSISTENT,    ETC. 

vions  disposition  is  most  hateful  in  itself,  so 
it  is  most  uncomfortable  and  uneasy  to  its 
possessor.  As  it  is  the  disposition  of  the 
devil,  and  partakes  of  his  likeness,  so  it  is  the 
disposition  of  hell,  and  partakes  of  its  misery. 
In  the  strong  language  of  Solomon  (Proverbs 
xiv.  30) :  "  A  sound  heart  is  the  life  of  the 
flesh,  but  envy  the  rottenness  of  the  bones." 
It  is  like  a  powerful  eating  cancer,  preying 
on  the  vitals,  offensive  and  full  of  corruption. 
And  it  is  the  most  foolish  kind  of  self-injury ; 
for  the  envious  make  themselves  trouble 
most  needlessly,  being  uncomfortable  only  be- 
cause of  others'  prosperity,  when  that  pros- 
perity does  not  injure  themselves,  or  diminish 
their  enjoyments  and  blessings.  But  they  are 
not  willing  to  enjoy  what  they  have,  because 
others  are  enjoying  also.  Let,  then,  the  con- 
sideration of  the  foolishness,  the  baseness,  the 
infamy  of  so  wicked  a  spirit,  cause  us  to  ab- 
hor it,  and  to  shun  its  excuses,  and  earnestly 
to  seek  the  spirit  of  Christian  love,  that  excel- 
lent spirit  of  divine  charity  which  will  lead  us 
alwa3^s  to  rejoice  in  the  welfare  of  others,  and 
which  will  fill  our  own  hearts  with  liappiness. 
This  love  "  is  of  God"  (1  John  iv.  7) ;  and  he 
that  dwelleth  in  it,  "  dwelleth  in  God,  and 
God  in  him,"  1  John  iv.  16. 


LECTUEE  VII. 

THE   SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY    IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIMT. 

" Cliarity  vaunteth  not  itself;  is  not  puffed  up;  doth  not 
behave  itself  unseemly." — 1  Corinthians  xiii.  4,  5. 

Having  shown  the  nature  and  tendency  of 
charity  or  Christian  love,  in  respect  to  our  re- 
ceiving injury,  and  doing  good  to  others,  that 
it  "  suffers  long  and  is  Mnd  f  and  also  with 
respect  to  the  good  possessed  by  others  as 
compared  with  that  possessed  by  ourselves, 
that  charity  "  eiivieth  not  /"  the  Apostle  now 
proceeds  to  show,  that  in  reference  to  what 
we  ourselves  may  be  or  have,  charity  is  not 
proicd j  that  "it  vaunteth  not  itself,  is  n-»t 
puffed  up,  doth  not  behave  itself  unseemly/' 
As,  on  the  one  hand,  it  prevents  us  from 
envying  others  what  they  possess,  so  on  tl  e 
other,  it  keeps  us  from  glorying  in  what  we 
possess  ourselves.     Paul   had   just   declared 


186  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


that  charity  was  contrary  to  a  spirit  of  envy, 
and  now  he  declares  that  it  is  equally  contrary 
to  that  spirit  which  specially  provokes  men  to 
envy  others,  and  which  they  often  make  a 
pretence  or  apology  for  envying  them,  viz. : 
that  they  are  puffed  up  with  their  honors  and 
prosperity,  and  vaunt  themselves  on  their  pos- 
session of  these  things.  "When  men  have  ob- 
tained prosperity  or  are  advanced,  and  others 
observe  that  they  are  puffed  up  and  vaunt 
themselves  in  it,  this  tends  to  provoke  envy 
and  make  others  uneasy  at  the  sight  of  their 
prosperity.  But  if  a  man  has  prosperity  or 
advancement  and  yet  does  not  vaunt  himself 
or  behave  in  an  unseemly  manner  on  account 
of  it,  this  tends  to  reconcile  others  to  his  high 
circumstances,  and  make  tliem  satisfied  that 
he  should  enjoy  his  elevation.  As  already 
observed,  when  men  envy  another,  they  are 
prone  to  excuse  and  justify  themselves  in  so 
doing,  by  the  pretence  that  he  does  not  make 
a  good  improvement  of  his  prosperity,  but  is 
proud  of  it  and  puffed  up  on  account  of  it. 
But  the  Apostle  shows  how  Christian  love,  or 
charity,  tends  to  make  all  behave  suitably  to 
their  condition,  whatever  it  may  be  ;  if  below 
others,  not  to  envy  them,  and  if  above  others, 


IS   AN    HUMBLE   SPIRIT.  187 


not  to  be  proud  or  puffed  up  with  the  pros- 
perity. 

In  the  words  of  the  text,  we  may  observe, 
that  a  spirit  of  Christian  love  is  spoken  of  as 
the  opposite  of  a  jwoud  behavior,  and  that 
two  degrees  of  such  a  behavior  are  mentioned. 
The  higher  degree  is  expressed  by  a  man's 
"vaunting  himself,"  that  is,  by  his  so  carry- 
ing himself  as  to  show  plainly  that  he  glories 
in  what  he  has,  or  is ;  and  the  lower  degree  is 
expressed  by  his  "  behaving  himself  unseem- 
ly," that  is,  by  his  not  conducting  himself  in 
a  becoming  and  decent  manner  in  the  enjoy- 
ment of  his  prosperity,  but  so  acting  as  to 
show  that  he  thinks  the  mere  fact  of  his  being 
prosperous  exalts  him  above  others.  And  the 
spirit  of  charity  or  love  is  spoken  of  as  opposed 
not  only  to  a  proud  behavior,  but  to  a  proud 
spirit,  or  pride  in  the  heart,  for  charity  "  is 
not  puffed  up."  The  doctrine  we  are  taught, 
then,  in  these  words,  is  this : — 

That  the  spirit  of  charity,  or  Christian 
LOVE,  IS  AN  HUMBLE  SPIRIT. — In  Speaking  to  this 
doctrine,  I  would  show,  1,  What  humility  is; 
ind  2,  How  a  Christian  spirit,  or  the  spirit  of 
charity,  is  an  humble  spirit.     And, 

I.    I  would   shovj    what   hmnility   in. — Ilumil- 


188  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


ity  may  be  defined  to  be,  a  habit  of  mind  and 
heart  corresponding  to  onr  comparative  un- 
woithinessand  vileness  before  God,  or  a  sense 
of  our  own  comparative  meanness  in  his  sight, 
with  the  disposition  to  a  behavior  answerable 
thereto.  It  consists  partly  in  the  understand- 
ing, or  in  the  thought  and  knowledge  w^e  have 
of  ourselves  ;  partly  in  the  will ;  partly  in  the 
sense  or  estimate  we  have  of  ourselves  ;  and 
partly  in  the  disposition  w^e  have  to  a  beha- 
vior answerable  to  this  sense  or  estimate. 
And  the  first  thing  in  humility,  is, 

1.  A  sense  of  our  own  comparative  mearh- 
ness. — I  say  eomjyarative  meanness,  because 
humility  is  a  grace  proper  for  beings  that  are 
glorious  and  excellent  in  very  many  respects. 
Thus  the  saints  and  angels  in  heaven  excel  in 
humility ;  and  humility  is  proper  and  suitable 
in  them,  though  they  are  pure,  spotless,  and 
glorious  beings,  perfect  in  holiness,  and  excel- 
ling in  mind  and  strength.  But  though  they 
are  thus  glorious,  yet  they  have  a  comparative 
meanness  before  God,  of  which  they  are  sen- 
sible; for  he  is  said  (Psalm  cxiii.  G),  "  to  hum- 
ble himself  to  behold  the  things  that  are  in 
heaven."  So  the  man  Clirist  Jesus,  who  is 
the  most  excellent  and  glorious  of  all  crca- 


IS   AN   HOIBLE   SPIRIT.  189 


tui'es,  is  yet  meek  and  lowly  of  heart,  and 
excels  all  other  beings  in  humility.  Humility 
is  one  of  the  excellences  of  Christ,  because  he 
is  not  only  God  but  man,  and  as  a  man  he  was 
humble :  for  humility  is  not,  and  cannot  be  an 
attribute  of  the  divine  nature.  God's  nature 
is  indeed  infinitely  opposite  to  pride,  and  yet 
humility  cannot  properly  be  predicated  of 
him ;  for  if  it  could,  this  would  argue  imper- 
fection, which  is  impossible  in  God.  God  who 
is  infinite  in  excellence  and  glory,  and  infi- 
nitely above  all  things,  cannot  have  any  com- 
parative meanness,  and  of  course  cannot  have 
any  such  comparative  meanness  to  be  sensi- 
ble of,  and  therefore  cannot  be  humble.  But 
humility  is  an  excellence  proper  to  all  created 
intelligent  beings,  for  they  are  all  infinitely 
little  and  mean  before  God,  and  most  of  them 
are  in  some  way  mean  and  low  in  comparison 
with  some  of  their  fellow-creatures.  Humility 
implies  a  compliance  with  that  rule  of  the 
Apostle  (Romans  xii.  3),  that  we  think  not  of 
ourselves  more  highly  than  we  ought  to  think, 
but  that  we  think  soberly,  according  as  God 
hath  dealt  to  every  one  of  us  the  measure  not 
only  of  faith,  but  of  other  things.  And  thia 
humility,  as  a  virtue  in  men,  implies  a  sense 


190  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


of  their  own  comparative  meanness,  both  as 
compared  with  God,  and  as  compared  with 
their  fellow-creatm'es.     And, 

Firsts  Humility  doth  primarily  and  chiefly 
consist  in  a  sense  of  our  meanness  as  ccmijpared 
with  God^  or  a  sense  of  the  infinite  distance 
there  is  between  God  and  ourselves.  We  are 
little,  despicable  creatures,  even  worms  of  the 
dust,  and  we  should  feel  that  we  are  as 
nothing  and  less  than  nothing  in  comparison 
with  the  majesty  of  heaven  and  earth.  Such 
a  sense  of  his  nothingness  Abraham  expressed, 
when  he  said  (Genesis  xviii.  27),  "  Behold 
now,  I  have  taken  upon  me  to  speak  unto  the 
Lord,  which  am  but  dust  and  ashes."  There 
is  no  true  humility  without  somewhat  of  this 
Bpirit ;  for  however  sensible  we  may  be  of  our 
meanness  as  compared  with  some  of  our  fel- 
low-creatures, we  are  not  truly  humble,  unless 
we  have  a  sense  of  our  nothingness  as  com- 
pared with  God.  Some  have  a  low  thought 
of  themselves  as  compared  with  other  men, 
from  the  meanness  of  their  circumstances,  or 
from  a  melancholy  and  despondent  tempera- 
ment which  is  natural  to  them,  or  from  some 
other  cause,  while  still  they  know  nothing  of 
the  inflnite   distance  there  is  between  them 


IS   AN   IIUMBLE   SPIRIT.  191 


and  God ;  and  tliough  thej  may-  be  ready  to 
look  upon  themselves  as  hnnible-sj)irited,  yet 
they  have  no  true  humility.  That  which 
above  all  other  things  it  concerns  us  to  know 
of  ourselves,  is,  what  we  are  in  comparison 
with  God,  who  is  our  creator,  and  the  one  in 
whom  we  live,  and  move,  and  have  our  being, 
and  who  is  infinitely  perfect  in  all  things. 
And  if  we  are  ignorant  of  our  meanness  as 
compared  with  him,  then  the  most  essential 
thing,  and  that  which  is  indispensable  in  true 
humility,  is  wanting.  But  where  this  is  truly 
felt,  there  arises  from  it, 

Secondly^  A  sense  of  our  own  meanness  as 
coinjpared  with  many  of  our  fellow-creatures. 
For  man  is  not  only  a  mean  creature  in  com- 
parison with  God,  but  he  is  very  mean  as  com- 
pared w^ith  multitudes  of  creatures  of  a  supe- 
rior rank  in  the  universe ;  and  most  men  are 
mean  in  comparison  with  many  of  their  fellow- 
men.  And  when  a  sense  of  this  comparative 
meanness  arises  from  a  just  sense  of  our 
meanness  as  God  sees  it,  then  it  is  of  the  na- 
ture of  true  humility.  He  that  has  a  right 
sense  and  estimate  of  himself  in  comparison 
"With  God,  will  be  likely  to  have  his  eyes  open 
to  see  himself  aright  in  all  respects.     Seeing 


192  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAEITT 


trul}  how  he  stands  with  respect  to  the  first 
and  highest  of  all  beings,  will  tend  greatly  to 
help  him  to  a  just  apprehension  of  the  place 
he  stands  in  among  creatm-es.  And  he  that 
does  not  rightly  know  the  first  and  greatest 
of  beings,  who  is  the  fountain  and  source  of 
all  other  beings,  cannot  truly  know  anything 
aright ;  but  so  far  as  he  has  come  to  a  knowl- 
edge of  the  former,  so  far  is  he  prepared  for 
and  led  unto  the  knowledge  of  other  things, 
and  so  of  himself  as  related  to  others,  and  as 
standing  among  them. 

All  this  would  apply  to  men  considered  as 
unfallen  beings,  and  would  have  been  true  of 
our  race  if  our  first  parents  had  not  fallen, 
and  thus  involved  their  posterity  in  sin.  But 
humility  \xi  fallen  men,  implies  a  sense  of  a 
ten-fold  meanness,  both  before  God  and  men. 
Man's  natural  meanness  consists  in  his  being 
infinitely  below  God  in  natural  perfection,  and 
in  God's  being  infinitely  above  him  in  great- 
ness, power,  wisdom,  majesty,  t^c.  And  a 
truly  humble  man  is  sensible  of  the  small  ex- 
tent of  his  own  knowledge,  and  the  great  ex- 
tent of  his  ignorance,  and  of  the  small  extent 
of  his  understanding  as  compared  with  the 
understanding  of  God.     He  is  sensible  of  his 


IS   AN   HUMBLE   SPIRIT.  193 


weakness ;  how  little  his  strength  is,  and  how 
little  he  is  able  to  do.  He  is  sensible  of  his 
natural  distance  from  God  ;  of  his  depend- 
ence on  him  ;  of  the  insufficiency  of  his  own 
power  and  wisdom,  and  that  it  is  by  God's  pow- 
er that  he  is  upheld  and  provided  for,  and  that 
he  needs  God's  wisdom  to  lead  and  guide  him, 
and  his  might  to  enable  him  to  do  what  he 
ought  to  do  for  him.  lie  is  sensible  of  his 
subjection  to  God,  and  that  God's  greatness 
does  properly  consist  in  his  authority,  where- 
by he  is  the  sovereign  Lord  and  king  over 
all ;  and  he  is  willing  to  be  subject  to  that 
authority,  as  feeling  that  it  becomes  him  to 
submit  to  the  divine  will,  and  yield  in  all 
things  to  God's  authority.  Man  had  this  sort 
of  comparative  littleness  before  the  fall.  He 
was  then  infinitely  little  and  mean  in  compar- 
ison with  God ;  but  his  natural  meanness  is 
become  much  greater  since  the  fall,  for  the 
moral  ruin  of  his  nature  has  greatly  impaired 
his  natural  faculties,  though  it  has  not  extin- 
guished them. 

The  truly  humble  man,  since  the  fall,  is 
also  sensible  of  liis  moral  meanness  and  vile- 
ness.  This  consists  in  his  sinfulness.  His 
natural  meanness,  is  his  littleness  as  a  creor 


194  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


twe  /  liis  moral  meanness  is  his  vileness  and 
fiUJiiness  as  a  sinner.  Unf alien  man  was  in- 
finitely distant  from  God  in  his  natural  quali- 
ties or  attributes  :  fallen  man  is  infinitely  dis- 
tant from  him,  also,  as  sinful  and  thus  filthy. 
And  a  truly  humble  person  is  in  some  meas- 
ure sensible  of  his  comparative  meanness  in 
this  respect,  that  he  sees  how  exceedingly 
polluted  he  is  before  an  infinitely  holy  God, 
in  whose  sight  the  heavens  are  not  clean.  He 
sees  how  pure  God  is,  and  how  filthy  and 
abominable  he  is  before  him.  Such  a  sense 
of  his  comparative  meanness  Isaiah  had,  when 
he  saw  God's  glory,  and  cried  out  (Isaiah  vi. 
5) :  "  Woe  is  me  !  for  I  am  undone  ;  because 
I  am  a  man  of  unclean  lips,  and  I  dwell  in  the 
midst  of  a  people  of  unclean  lips,  for  mine 
eyes  have  seen  the  king,  the  Lord  of  Hosts !" 
An  humble  sense  of  our  meanness  in  this  re- 
spect, implies  self-abhorrence,  such  as  led  Job 
to  exclaim  (Job  xlii.  5,  6) :  "I  have  heard  of 
thee  by  the  hearing  of  the  ear ;  but- now  mine 
eye  seeth  thee.  Wherefore  I  abhor  myself, 
and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes."  It  implies,  also, 
such  contrition  and  brokenness  of  heart,  as 
David  speaks  of  when  he  says  (Psalm  li.  17), 
"  The  sacrifices  of  God.  are  a  broken  spirit ;  a 


/  IS   AN   HUMBLE   SPIRIT.  195 

broken  and  a  contrite  heart,  O  God,  thou  wilt 
not  despise  ;"  and  such,  too,  as  Isaiah  contem- 
plated when  he  declared  (Isaiah  Ivii.  15), 
''Thus  saith  the  high  and  lofty  One  that  in- 
habiteth  eternity,  whose  name  is  Holy,  I  dwell 
in  the  high  and  holy  place  ;  with  him,  also, 
that  is  of  a  contrite  and  humble  spirit,  to  re- 
vive the  spirit  of  the  humble,  and  to  revive  the 
heart  of  the  contrite  ones."  And  both  the 
sense  of  our  own  littleness,  and  the  sense  of 
our  moral  vileness  before  God,  are  implied 
in  that  poverty  of  spirit,  which  the  Saviour 
speaks  of  when  he  says  (Matthew  v.  3), 
"  Blessed  are  the  poor  in  spirit,  for  theirs  is 
the  kingdom  of  heaven." 

And  in  order  to  this  sense  of  our  own  mean- 
ness and  unworthiness  that  is  implied  in 
humility,  it  is  not  only  necessary  that  we 
should  know  God,  and  have  a  sense  of  his 
greatness,  without  which  we  cannot  know  our- 
selves, but  we  must  have  a  right  sense,  also, 
of  his  excellence  and  loveliness.  The  devils 
and  damned  spirits  see  a  great  deal  of  God's 
greatness,  of  his  wisdom,  omnipotence,  &c. 
God  makes  them  sensible  of  it  by  what  they 
Bee  in  his  dealings,  and  feel  in  their  own  suf- 
ferings.   However  unwilling  they  are  to  know 


196  THE    SPIEIT    OF    CHAUITY 


it,  God  makes  them  know  how  much  lie  ii 
above  them  now,  and  they  shall  know  and 
feel  it  still  more,  at  and  after  the  judgment. 
But  they  have  no  humility,  nor  will  they 
ever  ha\^e,  because  though  they  see  and  feel 
God's  greatness,  yet  they  see  and  feel  nothing 
of  his  loveliness.  And  without  this  there  can 
be  no  true  humility,  for  that  cannot  exist  un- 
less the  creature  feels  his  distance  from  God, 
not  only  with  respect  to  his  greatness,  but 
also  his  loveliness.  The  angels  and  ransomed 
spirits  in  heaven  see  both  these  things ;  not 
only  how  much  greater  God  is  than  they  are, 
but  how  much  more  lovely  he  is  also ;  so  that 
though  they  have  no  absolute  defilement  and 
filthiness  as  fallen  men  have,  yet  as  compared 
with  God,  it  is  said  (Job  xv.  15,  and  iv.  18), 
''  The  heavens  are  not  clean  in  his  sight,"  and 
"  his  angels  he  charged  with  folly."  From 
such  a  sense  of  their  comparative  meanness, 
persons  are  made  sensible  how  unworthy  they 
are  of  God's  mercy,  or  gracious  notice.  Such 
a  sense  Jacob  expressed,  when  he  said  (Gene- 
Bis  xxxii.  10),  "  I  am  not  worthy  of  the  least 
of  all  the  mercies,  and  of  all  the  truth  which 
thou  hast  showed  unto  thy  servant ;"  and 
David,  when  he  exclaimed  (2  Samuel  vii.  18), 


IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT.  197 


"Who  am  I,  O  Lord  God,  and  what  is  my 
house,  that  thou  hast  brought  me  hitherto  ?" 
And  such  a  sense  have  all  who  are  truly  hum- 
ble before  God.  But  as  humility  consists  in 
a  sense  of  our  comparative  meanness,  so  it 
implies, 

2.  A  disposition  to  a  corresjyonding  hehavior 
and  conduct. — Without  this  there  is  no  true 
humility.  If  it  could  be  so  that  our  under- 
standing could  be  enlightened  to  see  our  own 
meanness,  and  at  the  same  time  the  will  and 
disposition  of  the  soul  did  not  comply  with, 
and  conform  to  that  which  is  answerable  to 
our  sense  of  it,  but  opposed  it,  then  there 
would  be  no  humility.  As  was  just  now  said, 
the  devils  and  damned  spirits  see  much  of 
their  comparative  littleness  before  God  in 
some  respects.  They  know  that  God  is  infi- 
nitely above  them  in  power,  and  knowledge, 
and  majesty.  And  yet  not  knowing  and  feel- 
ing his  loveliness  and  excellence,  their  wills 
and  dispositions  by  no  means  comply  with, 
and  conform  to  what  is  becoming  their  mean- 
ness ;  and  so  they  have  no  humility,  but  are 
full  of  pride.  Without  pretending  to  mention 
everything  in  our  behavior  answerable  to  a 

proper  sense  of  our  meanness  and  vileness  to 
14 


198  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHAKITY 


which  humilitj  would  dispose  us,  for  that 
would  include  the  whole  of  our  duty  toward 
God  and  man,  I  would  specify  some  things 
that  are  worthy  of  notice,  both  in  reference  to 
God,  and  in  reference  to  man.     Andj 

First ^  Some  things  in  out  hehavior  toward 
God^  to  which  humility  will  dispose  us.  As 
the  first  of  these,  humility  disposes  a  person 
heartily  and  freely  to  acknowledge  his  mean- 
ness or  littleness  'before  God.  He  sees  how  fit 
and  suitable  it  is  that  he  should  do  this  ;  and 
he  does  it  willingly,  and  even  with  delight. 
He  freely  confesses  his  own  nothingness  and 
vileness,  and  owns  himself  unworthy  of  any 
mercy,  and  deserving  of  all  misery.  It  is  the 
disposition  of  the  humble  soul,  to  lie  low  be- 
fore God,  and  to  humble  himself  in  the  dust 
in  his  presence.  Humility,  also,  disposes  one 
to  he  distrustful  of  himself.^  and  to  dejoend  only 
rni  God.  The  proud  man,  that  has  a  high 
opinion  of  his  own  wisdom,  or  strength,  or 
righteousness,  is  self-confident.  But- the  hum- 
ble are  not  disposed  to  trust  in  themselves, 
but  are  diffident  of  their  own  sufficiency  ;  and 
it  is  their  disposition  to  rely  on  God,  and  with 
delight  to  cast  themselves  wholly  on  him  as 
their  refuge,  and  righteousness,  and  strength. 


IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT.  199 


Tlie  humble  man  is  further  disposed  to  re 
nounce  all  the  glory  of  the  good  he  has  or  does^ 
and  to  give  it  all  to  God.  If  there  be  any- 
thing that  is  good  in  him,  or  any  good  done 
by  him,  it  is  not  his  disposition  to  ghjiy  or 
vaunt  himself  in  it  before  God,  but  to  ascribe 
all  to  God,  and  in  tlie  language  of  the  Psalm- 
ist (Psalm  cxv.  1)  to  say,  "Not  unto  us,  O 
Lord,  not  unto  us,  but  unto  thy  name  give 
glory,  for  thy  mercy  and  for  thy  truth's  sake." 
It  is  the  disj^osition,  again,  of  the  humble 
person,  wholly  to  subject  himself  to  God.  His 
heart  is  not  opjDosed  to  a  full  and  absolute 
subjection  to  the  divine  will,  but  inclined  to 
it.  He  is  disposed  to  be  subject  to  the  com- 
mands and  laws  of  God,  for  he  sees  it  to  be 
right  and  best  that  he  who  is  so  infinitely  in- 
ferior to  God,  should  be  thus  subject;  and 
that  it  is  an  honor  that  belongs  to  God,  to 
reign  over,  and  give  laws  to  him.  And  he  is 
equally  disposed  to  be  subject  to  the  provi- 
dence, and  daily  disposal  of  God,  and  to  sub- 
mit cheerfully  to  his  will  as  manifested  in 
what  he  orders  for  him ;  and  though  God 
orders  affliction,  and  low  and  depressed  cir- 
cumstances as  his  lot  in  the  w^orld,  he  does  not 
murmur,   but  feeling  his  meanness  and  un- 


200  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


worthiness,  lie  is  sensible  that  afflictive  and 
trying  dispensations  are  what  he  deserves, 
and  that  liis  circumstances  are  better  than  he 
merits.  And  however  dark  the  divine  deal- 
ings, with  the  faith  which  we  so  often  see 
manifested  in  those  who  are  eminent  in  grace, 
he  is  ready  to  say  with  Job  (Job  xiii.  15), 
"  Though  he  slay  me,  yet  will  I  trust  in  him." 
And  as  humility  implies  a  disposition  to  such 
a  behavior  toward  God,  so. 

Secondly^  It  disposes  to  a  hehavior  toward 
men  answerable  to  our  comparative  mean- 
ness. And  this  I  shall  show  by  pointing  out 
what  l:*rid  of  behavior  humility  tends  to  pre- 
vent. And  it  tends  in  the  first  place,  to  pre- 
vent on  asj^iring  or,d  ainJjitious  behavior 
amont^r.t  men.  The  man  that  is  under  the 
infli7T;T^ce  of  ar.  humble  spirit,  is  content  with 
sue}]  f.  situation  amongst  men  as  God  is  pleased 
to  allot  to  him,  and  is  not  greedy  of  honor, 
and  does  not  affect  to  ap23ear  uppermost  and 
exalted  above  his  neighbors.  He  acts  on  the 
principle  of  that  saying  of  the  prophet  (Jere- 
miah xlv.  5),  "  Seekest  thou  great  things  for 
thyself?  Seek  them  not ;"  and  also  of  that 
injunction  of  the  Apostle  (Romans  xii.  16), 
"Mind   not   high   things."     Humility  tends 


IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT.  201 


also  to  prevent  an  ostentatious  hehavior.  If 
the  truly  liuinble  man  has  any  advantage  07 
benefit  of  any  kind,  either  temporal  or  s])irit- 
iial,  above  his  neighbors,  he  will  not  affect  to 
make  a  show  of  it.  If  he  has  greater  natnral 
abilities  than  others,  he  w^ill  not  be  forward  to 
parade  and  display  them,  or  be  careful  that 
others  shall  know"  his  superiority  in  this 
respect.  If  he  has  a  remarkable  spiritual 
experience,  he  will  not  be  solicitous  that  men 
should  know  it  for  the  sake  of  the  honor  he  may 
obtain  by  it ;  nor  does  he  affect  to  be  esteem- 
ed of  men  as  an  eminent  saint  and  a  faithful 
servant  of  heaven  ;  for  it  is  a  small  thing  with 
him  what  men  may  think  of  him.  If  he  does 
anything  well,  or  does  his  duty  in  any  respect 
with  difficulty  and  self-denial,  he  does  not 
affect  that  men  should  take  notice  of  it,  nor  is 
he  careful  lest  they  should  not  observe  it. 
He  is  not  of  the  behavior  of  the  Pharisees, 
who,  it  is  said  (Matthew  xxiii.  5),  did  "  all 
their  works  to  be  seen  of  men  ;"  but  if  he  has 
done  anything  in  sincerity,  he  is  content  that 
the  great  Being  who  sees  in  secret  beholds  and 
will  approve  it. 

Humility  tends,  also,  to  prevent  an  arrogant 
and  assuming  hehavior.    He  that  is  under  the 


202  THE.  SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


infliience  of  an  humble  spirit,  is  not  forward 
to  take  too  inucli  upon  him  ;  and  when  he  is 
amongst  others,  he  does  not  carry  it  towaid 
them  as  if  he  expected  and  insisted  that  a 
great  deal  of  regard  should  be  shown  to  him- 
self. His  behavior  does  not  carry  with  it  the 
idea  that  he  is  the  best  amongst  those  about 
him,  and  that  he  is  the  one  to  whom  the  chief 
regard  should  be  shown,  and  whose  judgment 
is  most  to  be  sought  and  followed.  He  does 
not  carry  it  as  if  he  expected  that  everybody 
should  bow  and  truckle  to  him,  and  give  place 
to  him  as  if  no  one  was  of  as  mnch  conse- 
quence as  himself.  He  does  not  put  on  as- 
suming airs  in  his  common  conversation,  nor 
in  the  management  of  his  business,  nor  in  the 
duties  of  religion.  He  is  not  forward  to  take 
upon  himself  that  which  does  not  belong  to 
him,  as  though  he  had  power  where  indeed 
he  has  not,  as  if  the  earth  ought  to  be  subject 
to  his  bidding,  and  must  comply  with  his  in- 
clination and  purposes.  On  the  contrary,  he 
gives  all  due  deference  to  the  judgment  and 
inclinations  of  others,  and  his  behavior  carries 
\vitli  it  the  impression,  that  he  sincerely  re- 
ceives and  acts  on  that  teaching  of  the  Apos- 
tle (Philippians  ii.  8),  "  Let  nothing  be  done 


IS   AN   HU^rBLB  SPIRIT.  203 


through  strife,  or  vain  glorj,  but  in  lowliness 
of  mind,  let  each  esteem  other  better  than 
themselves."  In  talkins:  of  the  thinors  of  re- 
ligion,  he  has  not  the  air,  either  in  his  speech 
or  behavior,  of  one  that  esteems  himself  one  of 
the  best  saints  in  the  whole  company,  but  he 
rather  carries  himself  as  if  he  thought,  in  the 
expression  of  the  Apostle  (Ephesians  iii.  8), 
that  he  was  "  less  than  the  least  of  all  saints." 
Humility  tends,  also,  to  prevent  a  scornful 
hehavior.  Treating  others  with  scorn  and  con- 
tempt, is  one  of  the  worst  and  most  offensive 
manifestations  of  pride  toward  them.  But 
they  that  are  under  the  influence  of  an  hum- 
ble spirit,  are  far  from  such  a  behavior.  They 
do  not  despise,  or  look  down  on  those  that  are 
below  them,  with  a  haughty  supercilious  air, 
as  though  they  were  scarce  worthy  to  come 
nigh  them,  or  to  have  any  regard  from  them. 
They  are  sensible  that  there  is  no  such  vast 
difference  between  themselves  and  their  fel- 
low-men as  warrants  such  a  behavior.  They 
are  not  found  treating  with  scorn  and  con- 
tempt what  others  say,  or  speaking  of  v/hat 
they  do  with  ridicule  and  sneering  reflections, 
or  sitting  and  relating  what  others  may  have 
spoken  or  done,  only  to  make  sport  of  it.    On 


204  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHAKITr 


the  contrary,  humility  disposes  a  person  to  a 
condescenclinoj  behavior  to  the  meekest  and 
lowest,  and  to  treat  inferiors  with  courtesy  and 
affability,  as  beino-  sensible  of  his  own  weak- 
ness  and  despicableness  before  God,  and  that 
it  is  God  alone  that  makes  him  in  any  respect 
to  differ  from  others,  or  gives  him  the  advan- 
tage over  them.  The  truly  humble  will  (Ro- 
mans xii.  16)  always  have  the  spirit  to  "  con- 
descend to  men  of  lov/  estate."  Even  if  they 
are  great  men,  and  in  places  of  public  trust 
and  honor,  humility  will  dispose  them  to  treat 
their  inferiors  in  such  a  manner  as  has  been 
spoken  of,  and  not  in  a  haughty  and  scornful 
manner,  as  vaunting  themselves  on  their 
greatness. 

Humility  tends,  also,  to  prevent  a  wilful 
and  stubborn  hehamor.  They  that  are  under 
the  influence  of  an  humble  spirit,  will  not  set 
up  their  own  will  either  in  public  or  private 
affairs.  They  will  not  be  stiff  and  inflexible, 
and  insist  that  everything  must  go  according 
to  what  they  happen  first  to  propose,  and 
manifest  a  disposition  by  no  means  to  be  easy, 
but  to  make  all  the  difficulty  they  can,  and  to 
make  others  uneasy  as  well  as  themselves,  and 
to   prevent  anything   being   done   with   any 


IS  AN  htj:mble  spirit.  205 


quietness,  if  it  be  not  according  to  their  own 
mind  and  will.  They  are  not  as  some  that 
the  Apostle  Peter  describes  (2  Peter  ii.  10), 
"  presumptuons  and  self-willed,"  always  bent 
on  carrying  their  own  j^oints,  and  if  this  can- 
not be  done,  then  bent  on  opposing  and  an- 
noying others.  On  the  contrary,  humility  dis- 
poses men  to  be  of  a  yielding  spirit  to  others, 
ready,  for  the  sake  of  peace,  and  to  gratify 
others,  to  comply  in  many  things  with  their 
inclinations,  and  to  yield  to  their  judgments 
wherein  they  are  not  inconsistent  with  truth 
and  holiness.  A  truly  humble  man,  is  inflex- 
ible in  nothing  but  in  the  cause  of  his  Lord 
and  master,  which  is  the  cause  of  truth  and 
Yirtue.  In  this  he  is  inflexible  because  God 
and  conscience  require  it ;  but  in  things  of 
lesser  moment,  and  which  do  not  involve  his 
principles  as  a  follower  of  Christ,  and  in 
things  that  only  concern  his  own  private  in- 
terests, he  is  apt  to  yield  to  others.  And  if 
he  sees  that  others  are  stubborn  and  unreason- 
able in  their  wilfulness,  he  does  not  allow 
that  to  provoke  him  to  be  stubborn  and  wilful 
in  his  opposition  to  them  ;  but  he  rather  acts 
on  the  principles  taught  in  such  passages  as 
Romans   xii.  10;    1  Corinthians  vi.  7;  and 


206  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


Matthew  V.  40,  41 :  ''  Dearly  beloved,  avenge 
not  yourselves,  but  rather  give  place  unto 
wrath  ;"  "  Why  do  ye  not  rather  take  wrong  ? 
AYhy  do  ye  not  rather  suffer  yourselves  to  be 
defrauded  ?"  "  If  any  man  will  sue  thee  at  the 
law,  and  take  away  thy  coat,  let  him  have  thy 
cloak  also  ;  and  whosoever  shall  compel  thee 
to  go  a  mile,  go  with  him  twain." 

Humility  will  further  tend  to  prevent  a  lev- 
elling hehavior.  Some  persons  are  always 
ready  to  level  those  above  them  down  to  them- 
selves, while  they  are  never  willing  to  level 
those  below  them  up  to  their  own  position. 
But  he  that  is  under  the  influence  of  humility 
will  avoid  both  these  extremes.  On  the  one 
hand,  he  will  be  willing  that  all  should  rise 
just  so  far  as  their  diligence  and  worth  of 
character  entitle  them  to ;  and  on  the  other 
hand,  he  will  be  willing  that  his  superiors 
should  be  known  and  acknowdedged  in  their 
place,  and  have  rendered  to  them  all  the 
honors  that  are  their  due.  He  will  not  desire 
that  all  should  stand  upon  the  same  level,  for 
lie  knows  it  is  best  that  there  should  be  gra- 
dations in  society  ;  that  some  should  be  above 
others,  and  should  be  honored  and  submitted 
to  as  such.     And  therefore  he  is  willing  to  be 


IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT.  207 


content  with  tins  divine  arrangement,  and 
agreeably  to  it,  to  conform  both  his  spirit  and 
behavior  to  such  precepts  as  the  following  : 
"  Render  therefore  to  all  their  dnes  ;  tribute, 
to  whom  tribute  is  due  ;  custom,  to  whom  cus- 
tom ;  fear,  to  whom  fear ;  honor,  to  whom 
honor"  (Eomans  xiii.  7);  "Put  them  in  mind 
to  be  subject  to  principalities  and  powers,  to 
obey  magistrates,  to  be  ready  to  every  good 
work"  (Titus  iii.  1).  Humility  also  tends, 
once  more,  to  prevent  a  self-justifying  heha 
vior.  He  that  is  under  the  influence  of  an 
humble  spirit,  if  he  has  fallen  into  a  fault,  as 
all  are  liable  at  some  time  to  fall,  or  if  in  any- 
thing he  has  injured  another,  or  dishonored 
the  Christian  name  and  character,  will  be 
"willing  to  acknowledge  his  fault,  and  take  the 
shame  of  it  to  himself.  He  will  not  be  hard 
to  be  brought  to  a  sense  of  his  fault,  nor  to 
testify  that  sense  by  a  suitable  acknowledg- 
ment of  his  error.  He  will  be  inwardly 
humbled  for  it,  and  ready  to  show  his  humil- 
ity in  the  manner  which  the  Apostle  points 
out,  when  he  says  (James  v.  16),  "  Confess 
your  faults  one  to  another,"  It  is  pride  that 
makes  men  so  exceedingly  backward  to  con- 
fess their  fault  when  they  have  fallen  into  one, 


208  THE   SPIKIT   OF   CHARITY 


and  tliat  makes  them  think  that  to  be  theii 
shame,  which  is  in  truth  their  highest  honor. 
But  humility  in  the  behavior,  makes  men 
])rompt  to  their  duty  in  this  respect,  and  if  it 
l>re vails  as  it  should,  will  lead  them  to  do  it 
with  alacrity  and  even  delight.  And  when 
any  one  shall  give  such  a  person  a  Christian 
admonition  or  reproof  for  any  fault,  humility 
will  dispose  him  to  take  it  kindly,  and  even 
thankfully.  It  is  pride  that  makes  men  to  be 
BO  uneasy  when  they  are  reproved  by  any  of 
their  neighbors,  so  that  oftentimes  they  will 
not  bear  it,  but  become  angry,  and  manifest 
great  bitterness  of  spirit.  Humility,  on  the 
contrary,  will  dispose  them  not  only  to  tolerate 
such  reproofs,  but  to  esteem  and  prize  them 
as  marks  of  kindness  and  friendship.  "  Let 
the  righteous  smite  me ;"  says  the  Psalmist 
(Psalm  clxi.  5),  "  it  shall  be  a  kindness ;  and 
let  him  reprove  me  ;  it  shall  be  an  excellent 
oil  which  shall  not  break  my  head."  Having 
thus  shown  what  humility  is  in  its  nature,  and 
to  what  it  will  lead  us  both  in  spirit  and  be- 
havior, in  respect  both  to  God  and  to  our  fel- 
low-men, I  proceed,  as  proposed,  to  show, 

n.  That  the  S2?irit  of  charity  is  an  humble 
spirit — And  this  I  would  do  in  two  particu 


IS   AN   HU^IBLE   SPIRIT.  209 


lars  :  first,  by  showing  how  the  spirit  of  char- 
ity or  divine  love,  implies  and  tends  to  humil- 
ity, and  tlien  by  showing  how  such  exercises 
of  this  charity  as  the  gospel  tends  to  draw 
forth,  do  especially  imply  and  tend  to  it. 
And, 

1.  A  sjnrit  of  charity  or  divinelove  iTnplies 
and  tends  to  Itumilitij. 

First ^  It  implies  humility.  The  spirit  of 
charity  or  divine  love,  as  has  already  been 
shown,  is  the  sum  of  the  Christian  spirit,  and 
of  course  implies  humility  in  it,  as  an  essen- 
tial qualification.  True  divine  love,  is  an 
humble  love  ;  and  that  love  w^iich  is  not  hum- 
ble, is  not  truly  divine.  And  this  appears 
plain  from  two  considerations :  because  a 
sense  of  the  loveliness  of  God  is  peculiarly 
that  discovery  of  God  that  works  humility, 
and  because  when  God  is  truly  loved,  he  is 
loved  as  an  infinite  superior.  In  the  first 
place, 

Because  a  sense  of  the  loveliness  of  God,  is 
peculiarly  that  discovery  of  God  that  works 
humility.  A  sense  or  discovery  of  God's 
greatness,  without  the  sight  of  his  loveliness, 
will  not  do  it,  but  it  is  the  discovery  of  his 
loveliness  that  effects  it,  and  that  makes  the 


210  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


sonl  truly  Immble.  All  grace  is  wroiiglit  in 
the  heart  through  the  knowledge  of  God,  oi 
by  the  clear  discovery  of  his  perfections ;  and 
the  knowledge  of  these  perfections  is  the  foun- 
dation of  all  grace.  And  it  is  the  discovery 
or  sense  of  God  as  lovely,  and  not  only  as 
lovely,  but  as  infinitely  above  us  in  loveliness, 
that  works  humility  in  the  heart.  Merely 
having  a  sense  of  the  fact  that  God  is  infinitely 
above  us,  and  that  there  is  an  infinite  distance 
between  him  and  us  in  greatness,  will  not 
work  humility.  It  will  efi'ect  nothing  toward 
making  the  heart  humble,  unless  we  are  also 
sensible  that  there  is  an  infinite  distance  be- 
tween him  and  us  in  his  loveliness.  And  this 
is  evident  from  the  work  of  the  law  on  the 
heart  of  the  sinner,  and  from  the  experience 
of  devils  and  damned  spirits.  Under  the 
work  of  the  law  on  the  heart,  persons  may 
have  a  sense  of  the  awful  greatness  of  God, 
and  yet  have  no  humility  because  they  have 
no  sense  of  his  loveliness.  All  the  work  of 
the  spirit,  and  of  the  law  and  gospel  in  the 
heart,  is  wrought  by  conviction ;  and  there  is 
a  kind  of  conviction  that  natural  men  have  as 
to  God,  that  awakens  them,  and  makes  them 
feel  their  danger  ;  and  this  is  a  conviction  of 


IS    AN   HUMBLE   SPIRIT.  211 


tlie  terrible  greatness  of  God,  revealing  him- 
self in  the  requiren>ents  and  denunciations  of 
his  law.  But  this  they  may  and  often  dc 
have,  and  yet  have  no  humility  ;  and  the  rea- 
son is,  that  they  have  no  sense  of  how  much 
God  is  above  them  in  loveliness.  This  is  the 
only  thing  wanting ;  and  without  this,  they 
will  not  be  humble. 

And  the  same  is  manifest  from  the  expe- 
rience of  devils  and  damned  spirits.  They 
have  a  clear  sense  of  God's  being  infinitely 
above  them  in  greatness,  but  they  have  no 
humility,  because  they  do  not  feel  how  much 
he  is  above  them  in  loveliness.  As  was  ob- 
served, God  majvcs  the  devils  and  lost  spirits 
know  and  feel  that  he  is  above  them  in  great- 
ness and  power,  and  that  they  are  as  nothing 
in  his  hands ;  and  yet  they  are  proud,  and 
have  no  humility.  And  at  and  after  the  day 
of  judgment,  they  will  see  still  more  of  his 
greatness.  When  Christ  shall  come  in  tho 
clouds  of  heaven,  surrounded  by  his  angels, 
and  with  the  glory  of  his  Father,  then  shall 
the  wicked,  even  the  kings,  and  great  rulers, 
and  the  rich  captains,  and  the  mighty  men  of 
the  world,  see  that  he  is  infinitely  above  them 
in  greatness ;  and  as  they  see  his  terrible  ma* 


212  THE    SPIHIT    OF    CHARITY 


jestj,  they  shall  hide  themselves  from  Lis 
face.  And  the  de\dls,  too,  will  see  it,  and  will 
tremble  at  that  time,  a  great  deal  more  than 
they  tremble  now  at  the  thoughts  of  it.  And 
the  devils  and  wicked  men  shall  be  made 
to  know  that  he  is  the  Lord.  They  shall  know 
it  with  a  witness.  They  shall  know  by  what 
they  see,  and  by  what  they  feel  when  the  sen- 
tence comes  to  be  executed  on  them,  that  God 
is  indeed  above  them,  and  they  are  as  nothing 
before  him,  as  is  said  by  the  prophet  (Ezekiel 
vii.  27):  "According  to  their  deserts  will  I 
judge  them,  and  they  shall  know  that  I  am 
the  Lord."  But  though  they  shall  so  clearly, 
and  so  terribly  see  that  God  is  infinitely  above 
them,  in  greatness,  yet  they  will  have  no  hu- 
mility. They  will  see  themselves  at  an  infi- 
nite distance  from  God,  but  their  hearts  will 
not  comply  with  that  distance  and  feel  as  is  an- 
swerable to  it.  Because  they  will  not  see  God's 
loveliness,  they  will  not  know  their  infinite  dis- 
tance from  him  in  this  respect,  and  therefore 
will  not  be  led  to  humility.  And  this  their 
experience  shows,  that  it  is  a  sense  of  the  infi- 
nite distance  of  the  creature  from  the  Creator 
in  loveliness,  that  causes  true  humility.  This 
it  is   that  causes  humility  in  the  angels  in 


IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT.  213 


heaven,  and  in  the  saints  on  earth.  And  since 
it  is  a  sense  of  God's  loveliness  that  vi^orks 
humility,  we  may  hence  learn  that  divine  love 
implies  humility,  for  love  is  but  the  disposition 
of  the  heart  toward  Grod  as  lovely.  If  the  knowl- 
edge of  God  as  lovely,  causes  humility,  then 
a  respect  to  God  as  lovely,  implies  humility. 
And  from  this  love  to  God,  arises  a  Christian 
love  to  man  ;  and  therefore  it  follows,  that 
both  love  to  God,  and  love  to  man,  the  union 
of  which  is  the  very  thing  the  Apostle  calls 
charity,  alike  imply  humility. 

And  it  further  appears  that  divine  love  im- 
plies humility,  because  when  God  is  truly 
loved,  he  is  loved  as  an  infinite  superior.  True 
love  to  God,  is  not  love  to  him  as  an  equal ; 
for  every  one  that  truly  loves  God,  honors  him 
as  God,  that  is,  as  a  being  infinitely  superior 
to  all  others  in  greatness  and  excellence.  It 
is  love  to  a  being  who  is  infinitely  perfect  in 
all  his  attributes,  the  supreme  Lord,  and  ab- 
solute sovereign  of  the  universe.  But  if  w^o 
love  God  as  infinitely  superior  to  ourselv^es, 
then  love  is  exercised  in  us  as  infinite  infe- 
riors, and  therefore  it  is  an  humble  love.  In 
exercising  it,  we  look  upon  ourselves  as  infi- 
nitely mean  and  low  before  God,  and  love 
]5 


214  THE   SPIRIT   C»F   CHAEITT 


proceeds  from  us  as  such.  But  to  love  God 
in  this  manner,  is  to  love  him  in  humility, 
and  with  an  humble  love.  Thus  divine  love 
implies  humility.     But, 

Secondly^  It  also  tends  to  humility.  Hu- 
mility is  not  only  a  quality  in  divine  love, 
but  it  is  also  an  effect  of  it.  Divine  love  does 
not  only  imply  humility  in  its  nature,  but  also 
tends  to  cherish  and  produce  it,  and  to  call 
forth  its  exercises  as  consequences  and  fruits 
of  love.  And  humility  is  not  only  implied  in, 
and  is  as  it  were  a  part  of  love,  but  it  is  a  fruit 
and  uniform  production  of  love.  And  that, 
especially,  in  two  ways.  In  the  first  place, 
love  inclines  the  heart  to  that  spirit  and  be- 
havior that  arc  l)ecoining  the  distance  from 
the  heloved.  It  is  enmity  against  God  that 
makes  men's  hearts  so  opposed  to  love  to  him, 
and  to  such  a  behavior  as  carries  in  it  a  full 
and  proper  acknowledgment  of  the  distance 
between  themselves  and  him.  Those  that 
men  have  a  great  love  to,  they  are  willing  to 
honor,  and  willing  to  acknowledge  their  supe- 
riority to  themselves,  and  that  they  themselves 
are  far  below  them ;  and  they  are  willing  to 
give  them  the  honor  of  such  an  acknowledg- 
ment, especially  if  they  are  very  much  theii 


IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT.  215 


superiors.  The  devils  know  their  distance 
from  God,  but  they  are  not  reconciled  to  it ; 
and  the  chief  of  devils  affected  to  be  equal 
with  Go<l,  and  even  above  him,  because  he 
had  no  love  to  him.  And  so  in  a  measure 
it  is  with  men,  while  they  are  without  divine 
love.  But  when  love  enters  the  heart,  then 
the  inclination  of  the  soul  is  to  all  that  hum- 
ble respect  that  becomes  the  distance  between 
God  and  us.  And  so  love  to  man,  arisincr 
from  love  to  God,  disposes  to  a  humble  beha- 
vior toward  them,  inclining  us  to  give  them 
all  the  honor  and  respect  that  are  their  due. 
And  so  in  the  next  place,  love  to  God  tends  to 
an  ahhorrence  of  sin  against  God^  and  so  to 
our  being  humbled  before  him  for  it.  So 
much  as  anything  is  loved,  so  much  will  its 
contrary  be  hated.  And  therefore  just  in  pro- 
portion as  we  love  God,  in  the  same  propor- 
tion shall  we  have  an  abhorrence  of  sin 
against  him.  And  having  an  abhorrence  of 
sin  against  God,  this  will  lead  us  to  abhor 
ourselves  for  it,  and  so  to  humble  ourselves 
for  it  before  God.  Having  thus  shown  how 
divine  love,  which  is  the  sum  of  the  Christian 
temper,  implies  and  tends  to  humility,  I  come 
now  to  show. 


216  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


2.  Ho%D  the  gosjjel  tends  to  draio  forth  such 
exercises  of  love  as  do  esjKGially  imjply  and 
tend  to  it. — A  Christian  spirit  and  a  gospel 
spirit  are  the  same.  That  is  a  Christian  spirit, 
which  the  Christian  revelation  tends  to  lead 
to  ;  but  the  Christian  revelation  is  the  same 
as  the  gospel.  Now  such  a  kind  of  exercises 
of  love  as  the  gospel  tends  to  draw  forth,  do,  in 
a  special  manner,  tend  to,  and  impl)^  humility; 
and  that  on  several  accounts.     And, 

First^  Because  the  gospel  leads  us  to  love 
God  as  an  infinitely  condescending  God.  The 
gospel  above  all  things  in  the  world,  holds 
forth  the  exceeding  condescension  of  God. 
No  other  manifestation  that  ever  God  made 
of  himself,  exhibits  such  wonderful  conde- 
scension as  the  Christian  revelation  does. 
The  gospel  teaches  how  God,  who  humbles 
himself  to  behold  things  that  are  in  heaven 
and  earth,  stooped  so  low  as  to  take  an  infi- 
nitely gracious  notice  of  ]30or  vile  w^orms  of 
the  dust,  and  to  concern  himself  for  tlieir  sal- 
vation, and  so  as  to  send  his  only-begotten 
Son  to  die  for  them,  that  they  might  be  for- 
given, and  elevated,  and  honored,  and  brought 
into  eternal  fellowship  with  him,  and  to  the 
perfect  enjoyment  of  himself  in  heaven  for- 


IS    AN   HUMBLE   SPIRIT.  217 


ever.  So  that  the  love  the  Christian  revela- 
tion leads  us  to,  is  love  to  God  as  such  a  con- 
descending God,  and  to  such  exercises  of  love 
as  it  becomes  us  to  have  toward  a  God  of  such 
infinite  condescension  ;  and  such  acts  of  love 
are,  of  necessity,  humble  acts  of  love,  for  there 
is  no  disposition  in  the  creature,  that  is  more 
adapted  to  condescension  in  the  creator,  than 
humility  is.  The  condescension  of  God,  is 
not  properly  humility,  because,  for  the  rea- 
sons already  given,  humility  is  a  virtue  only 
of  those  beings  that  have  comparative  mean- 
ness. And  yet  God,  by  his  infinite  conde- 
scension, shows  his  nature  to  be  infinitely  far 
fromx,  and  hostile  to  pride,  and  therefore  his 
condescension  is  sometimes  spoken  of  as  hu- 
mility ;  and  humility  on  our  part  is  the  most 
proper  conformity  to  God's  condescension 
that  there  can  be  in  a  creature.  His  conde- 
scension tends  to  draws  forth  humility  on  our 
part. 

Secondly^  The  gospel  leads  us  to  love  Christ 
as  an  hurahle  'person.  Christ  is  the  God-man, 
including  both  the  divine  and  the  human  na- 
ture ;  and  so  has  not  only  condescension  which 
is  a  divine  perfection,  but  also  humility  wlilch 
is  a  creature   excellency.     Now  the   gospel 


218  THE   SPIRIT   OF    CHARITY 


holds  forth  Christ  to  us  as  one  that  is  meek 
and  lowly  of  heart ;  as  the  most  perfe(5t  and 
excellent  instance  of  humility  that  ever  exist- 
ed ;  as  one  in  whom  the  greatest  performances 
and  expressions  of  humility  were  manifest  in 
his  abasement  of  himself.  Though  he  was 
"in  the  form  of  God,"  he  "made  himself  of 
no  reputation,  and  took  upon  him  the  form  of 
a  servant,  and  humbled  himself,  and  became 
obedient  unto  death,  even  the  death  of  the 
cross"  (Philippians  ii.  6,  7,  8).  E'ow  the  gos- 
pel leads  us  to  love  Christ  as  such  an  humble 
person ;  and  therefore  to  love  him  with  such 
a  love  as  is  proper  to  be  exercised  toward 
such  an  one,  is  to  exercise  an  humble  love. 
And  this  is  the  more  true,  because  the  gospel 
leads  us  to  love  Christ  not  only  as  an  humble 
person,  but  as  an  humble  Saviour  and  Lord, 
and  head.  "  If  our  Lord  and  master  is  humble, 
and  we  love  him  as  such,  certainly  it  becomes 
us  who  are  his  disciples,  and  servants,  to  be  so 
too ;  for  surely  it  does  not  become  the  servant 
to  be  prouder,  or  less  abased  than  his  master. 
As  Christ  himself  tells  us  (Matthew  x.  24, 
25),  "The  disciple  is  not  above  his  master, 
nor  the  servant  above  his  Lord.  It  is  enough 
for  the  disciple  that  he  be  as  his  master,  and 


IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT.  219 


the  servant  as  his  Lord."  And  again,  he 
tells  us  (John  xiii.  13-16),  that  his  own  exam- 
ple of  humility  was  intended  for  our  imita- 
tion ;  and  still  again  declares  to  his  disciples 
(Matthew  xx.  25-28),  "Ye  know  that  the 
princes  of  the  Gentiles  exercise  dominion  over 
them,  and  they  that  are  great,  exercise  author- 
ity upon  them ;  but  it  shall  not  be  so  among 
you.  But  whosoever  will  be  great  among 
you,  let  him  be  your  minister;  and  whosoever 
will  be  chief  among  you,  let  him  be  your  ser- 
vant :  even  as  the  Son  of  Man  came  not  to  be 
ministered  unto,  but  to  minister,  and  to  give 
his  life  a  ransom  for  many." 

Thirdly^  The  gospel  leads  us  to  love  Christ 
as  a  crucified  Saviour.  As  our  Saviour  and 
Lord,  he  suffered  the  greatest  ignominy,  and 
was  put  to  the  most  ignominious  death,  though 
he  was  the  Lord  of  glory.  This  may  well  kin- 
dle the  humility  of  his  followers,  and  lead 
them  to  an  humble  love  to  him.  For  by  God 
sending  his  Son  into  the  world  to  suft'er  such 
an  ignominious  death,  he  did,  as  it  were,  pour 
contemj)t  on  all  the  earthly  glory  that  men 
are  wont  to  be  proud  of,  in  that  he  gave  him, 
as  the  Saviour  and  head  of  all  his  elect  peo- 
ple, to  appear  in  circumstances  so  far  from 


220  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


earthly  glory,  and  in  circumstances  of  the 
greatest  earthly  ignominy  and  shame.  And 
Christ,  by  being  willing  thus  to  be  abased, 
and  thus  to  suffer,  not  only  cast  contempt  on 
all  worldly  glory  and  greatness,  but  he  showed 
his  humility  in  the  clearest  manner.  If  we, 
then,  consider  ourselves  as  the  followers  of  the 
meek,  and  lowly,  and  crucified  Jesus,  we 
shall  walk  humbly  before  God  and  man,  all 
the  days  of  our  life  on  earth. 

Fourthly^  The  gospel  still  further  tends  to 
lead  us  to  humble  exercises  of  love,  because 
it  leads  us  to  love  Christ  as  one  that  was  cru- 
cified for  our  sakes.  The  mere  fact  that  Christ 
was  crucified,  is  a  great  argument  for  the  hu- 
mility of  us  who  are  his  followers.  But  his 
being  crucified/)?/'  oior  sakes ^  is  a  much  great- 
er argument  for  it.  For  Christ's  being  cruci- 
fied for  our  sakes,  is  the  greatest  testimony  of 
God  against  our  sins  that  ever  was  given.  It 
shows  more  of  God's  abhorrence  of  our  sins, 
than  any  other  act  or  event  that  God  has  ever 
directed  or  permitted.  The  measure  of  God's 
abhorrence  of  our  sins,  is  siiown  by  his  having 
them  so  terribly  punished,  and  his  wrath  so 
executed  against  them,  even  when  imputed  to 
liis  own  Son.  So  that  this  is  the  greatest  induce- 


IS    AT^    HUMBLE    SPIRtT.  221 


ment  to  our  humility  that  can  be  presented,  and 
this  on  two  accounts  ;  because  it  is  the  great- 
est manifestation  of  the  vileness  of  that  for 
which  we  should  be  humble,  and  also  the 
greatest  argument  for  our  loving  the  humble 
spirit,  which  the  gosj^el  holds  forth.  The  ex- 
cellency of  Christ,  and  the  love  of  Christ,  more 
appear  in  his  yielding  himself  to  be  crucified 
for  us,  than  in  any  other  of  his  acts,  so  that 
these  things,  considered  together,  above  all 
things  tend  to  draw  forth  on  our  part,  the 
exercises  of  humble  love.  In  the  application 
of  this  subject  we  may  see, 

1.  The  excellency  of  a  Chridian  spirit.—^ 
"  The  righteous,"  it  is  said  (Proverbs  xii.  26), 
"  is  more  excellent  than  his  neighbor."  And 
much  of  this  excellence  in  the  true  Christian, 
consists  in  his  meek  and  lowly  spirit  which 
makes  him  so  like  his  Saviour.  This  spirit 
the  Apostle  speaks  of  (1  Peter  iii.  4)  as  the 
richest  of  all  ornaments,  "  even  the  ornament 
of  a  meek  and  quiet  spirit,  which  is  in  the 
sight  of  God  of  great  price."  The  subject 
should  lead  us, 

2.  To  examine  ourselves^  and  see  if  we  are 
indeed  of  an  hmnhle  spirit. — "  Ilis  soul,"  says 
the  prophet  (Habakkuk  ii.  4),  "  which  is  lifted 


222  THE   SPIRIT    OF   CHARITY 


up,  is  not  upright  in  liim ;"  and  the  fact  that 
"  God  resisteth  the  proud"  (James  iv.  6),  or, 
as  in  the  original,  "sets  himself  in  battle  array 
against  him,"  shows  how  he  abhors  a  proud 
spirit.  And  it  is  not  every  show  and  appear- 
ance of  humility  that  will  stand  the  test  of 
the  gospel.  There  are  various  imitations  of  it 
that  fall  short  of  the  reality.  Some  put  on  an 
affected  humility  ;  others  have  a  natural  low- 
spiritedness,  and  are  wanting  in  manliness  of 
character  ;  others  are  melancholy  or  despond- 
ent ;  others  under  the  convictions  of  con- 
science by  which,  for  the  time,  they  are  de- 
pressed, seem  broken  in  spirit ;  others  seem 
greatly  abased  while  in  adv^ersity  and  afflic- 
tion, or  have  a  natural  melting  of  the  heart 
under  the  common  illuminations  of  the  truth  ; 
to  others  there  is  a  counterfeit  kind  of  humil- 
ity, wrought  by  the  delusions  of  Satan  :  and 
all  of  these  may  be  mistaken  for  true  humil- 
ity. Examine  yourself,  then,  and  see  what  is 
the  nature  of  your  humility,  whether  it  be  of 
these  superficial  kinds,  or  whether  it  be  indeed 
wrought  by  the  Holy  Spirit  in  your  hearts  ; 
and  do  not  rest^atislied,  till  you  find  that  the 
spirit  and  behavior  of  those  whom  the  gospel 
accounts  humble,  are  yours. 


IS    AN   HUMBLE   SPIRIT.  223 


3.  The  sulject  exhorts  those  who  are  stran- 
gers to  the  grace  of  God^  to  seek  that  grace^  that 
they  Quay  thus  attain  to  this  spirit  of  humility. 
— If  such  be  your  character,  you  are  now 
destitute  of  a  Christian  spirit,  which  is  a  spirit 
of  grace  ;  and  so,  wholly  destitute  of  humility. 
Your  spirit  is  a  proud  spirit ;  and  though  you 
may  not  seem  to  carry  yourself  very  proudly 
amongst  men,  yet  you  are  lifting  yourself  up 
against  God,  in  refusing  to  submit  your  heart 
and  life  to  him.  And  in  doing  this,  you  are 
disregarding  or  defying  God's  sovereignty,  and 
daring  to  contend  with  your  maker,  though 
he  dreadfully  threatens  those  who  do  this. 
You  are  proudly  casting  contempt  on  God's 
authority,  in  refusing  to  obey  it,  and  continu- 
ing to  live  in  disobedience ;  in  refusing  to  be 
conformed  to  his  wdll,  and  to  comply  with  the 
humbling  conditions  and  way  of  salvation  by 
Christ,  and  in  trusting  to  your  own  strength 
and  righteousness,  instead  of  that  which 
Christ  so  freely  offers.  Now  as  to  such  a 
Bpirit,  consider  that  this  is,  in  an  especial 
sense,  the  sin  of  devils.  "Not  a  novice," 
says  the  Apostle  (1  Timothy  iii.  6),  'Mest 
being  lifted  up  with  pride,  he  fall  into  the  con- 
demnation of  the  devil.'^     And  consider,  too, 


224 


THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


how  odious  and  abominable  sncli  a  spirit  is  to 
God,  and  how  terribly  he  has  threatened  it; 
declaring  (Proverbs  xvi.  5)  that  "  every  one 
that  is  proud  in  heart  is  an  abomination  to  the 
Lord  ;  thongh  hand  join  in  hand,  he  shall  not 
go  unpunished ;"  and  again  (Proverbs  vi.  16), 
"These  things  doth  the  Lord  liate,  a  proud 
look,  &c.  :"  and  again  (Proverbs  xxix.  23), 
that  "  a  man's  pride  shall  bring  him  low," 
and  (2  Samuel  xxii.  28)  that  the  eyes  of  the 
Lord  are  upon  the  haughty  that  he  may  bring 
them  down ;  and  still  again  (Isaiah  xxiii.  9), 
that  "  the  Lord  of  hosts  hath  purposed  it,  to 
stain  the  pride  of  all  glory,  and  to  bring  into 
contempt  all  the  honorable  of  the  earth.'* 
Consider,  too,  how  Pharaoh  and  Korah,  and 
Hainan,  and  Belshazzar,  and  Herod,  were 
awfully  jumished  for  their  pride  of  heart  and 
conduct ;  and  be  admonished,  by  their  exam- 
ple, to  cherish  an  humble  spirit,  and  to  walk 
humbly  with  God,  and  toward  men.  Fi- 
Dally, 

4.  Zet  all  he  exhorted  earnestly/  to  seek  much 
of  an  hiwihle  sinrit^  and  to  endeavor  to  he  htinir 
hie  in  all  their  hehamor  toward  God  and  men. 
' — Seek  for  a  deep  and  abiding  sense  of  your 
comparative  meanness  before  God  and  man. 


IS    AN    HUMBLE    SPIRIT.  225 


Know  God.  Confess  your  nothingness  and 
ill-desert  before  him.  Distrust  yourself.  Rely 
only  on  God.  Renounce  all  glory  except  from 
him.  Yield  yourself  heartily  to  his  will  and 
service.  Avoid  an  aspiring,  ambitious,  osten- 
tatious, assuming,  arrogant,  scornful,  stub- 
born, wilful,  levelling,  self-justifying  belia- 
vior;  and  strive  for  more  and  more  of  the 
humble  spirit  that  Christ  manifested  while  he 
was  on  earth.  Consider  the  many  motives  to 
such  a  spirit.  Humility  is  a  most  essential 
and  distinguishing  trait  in  all  true  piety.  It 
is  the  attendant  of  every  grace,  and  in  a  pecu- 
liar manner  tends  to  the  purity  of  Christian 
feeling.  It  is  the  ornament  of  the  spirit ;  the 
source  of  some  of  the  sweetest  exercises  of 
Christian  experience ;  the  most  acceptable 
sacrifice  we  can  offer  to  God  ;  the  subject  of 
the  richest  of  his  promises  ;  the  spirit  with 
which  he  will  dwell  on  earth,  and  which  he 
will  crown  with  glory  in  heaven  hereafter. 
Earnestly  seek  then,  and  diligently,  and 
prayerfully  cherish  an  humble  spirit,  and  God 
shall  walk  with  you  here  below,  and  when  a 
few  more  days  shall  have  passed,  he  will  re- 
ceive you  to  the  honors  bestowed  on  his  people 
at  Christ's  right  hand. 


LECTURE  VIII. 

THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAEITY   THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A 
SELFISH   SPIRIT. 

"  Seeketh  not  her  own," — 1  Cor,  xiii.  5. 

Having  shown  the  nature  of  charity  in 
respect  to  the  good  of  others,  in  the  two  par- 
ticulars that  it  is  kind  to  them,  and  envies  not 
their  enjoyments  and  blessings ;  and  also  in 
respect  to  our  own  good,  that  it  is  not  proud, 
either  in  spirit  or  behavior,  I  pass  to  the  next 
point  presented  by  the  Apostle,  viz.  :  that 
charity  "  seeketh  not  her  ownP  The  doctrine 
of  these  words  plainly  is. 

That  the  spirit  of  charity,  or  Christian 

LOVE,  IS  the  opposite  OF  A  SELFISH  SPIRIT. ^Tlie 

ruin  that  the  fall  brought  u]30ii  the  soul  of 
man,  consists  very  much  in  his  losing  the 
nobler  and  more  benevolent  principles  of  his 
nature,  and  falling  wholly  under  the  power 


TIIE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAEITY.  227 


and  government  of  self-love.  Before,  and  as 
God  created  him,  he  was  exalted  and  noble, 
and  generous;  but  now  he  is  debased,  and 
ignt)ble,  and  selfish.  Immediately  upon  the 
fall,  the  mind  of  man  shrank  from  its  primi- 
tive greatness  and  expandedness,  to  an  ex- 
ceeding smallness  and  contractedness ;  and 
as  in  other  respects,  so  especially  in  this.  Be- 
fore his  soul  was  under  the  government  of  that 
noble  principle  of  divine  love,  whereby  it  was 
enlarged  to  the  comprehension  of  all  his  fel- 
low-creatures and  their  welfare.  And  not 
only  so,  but  it  was  not  confined  within  such 
narrow  limits  as  the  bounds  of  the  creation,  but 
went  forth  in  the  exercise  of  holy  love  to  the 
Creator,  and  abroad  upon  the  infinite  ocean 
of  good,  and  was,  as  it  were,  swallowed  up  by 
it,  and  became  one  with  it.  But  so  soon  as  he 
had  transgressed  against  God,  these  noble 
principles  were  immediately  lost,  and  all  this 
excellent  enlargedness  of  man's  soul  was 
gone  ;  and  thenceforward,  he  himself  shrank, 
as  it  were,  into  a  little  space,  circumscribed  and 
closely  shut  up  within  itself  to  the  exclusion 
of  all  things  else.  Sin,  like  some  powerful 
astringent,  contracted  his  soul  to  the  very 
small  dimensions  of  selfishness  ;  and  God  was 


228  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAKITY 


forsaken,  and  fellow-creatures  forsaken,  and 
man  retired  within  himself,  and  became  to- 
tally governed  by  narrow  and  selfish  princi- 
ples and  feelings.  Self-love  became  absolute 
master  of  his  soul,  and  the  more  noble  and  spir- 
itual piinciples  of  his  being,  took  wings  and  flew 
away.  But  God,  in  mercy  to  miserable  man^ 
entered  on  the  work  of  redemption,  and  by 
the  glorious  gospel  of  his  Son,  began  the  work 
of  brinmno^  the  soul  of  man  out  of  its  confine- 
ment  and  contractedness,  and  back  again  to 
those  noble  and  divine  principles,  by  which  it 
was  animated  and  governed  at  first.  And  it 
is  through  the  cross  of  Christ  that  he  is  doing 
this ;  for  our  union  with  Christ  gives  us  par- 
ticipation in  his  nature.  And  so  Christianity 
restores  an  excellent  enlargement,  and  exten- 
siveness,  and  liberality  to  the  soul,  and  again 
possesses  it  with  that  divine  love  or  charity 
that  we  read  of  in  the  text,  whereby  it  again 
embraces  its  fellow-creatures,  and  is  devoted 
to  and  swallowed  up  in  the  Creator.  And 
thus  charity,  which  is  the  sum  of  the  Chris- 
tian spirit,  so  partakes  of  the  glorious  fulness 
of  the  divine  nature,  that  she  ''  seeketh  not  her 
own ,"  or  is  contrary  to  a  selfish  spirit.  In  dwell- 
ing on  this  thought,  I  would  first,  show  the 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH   SPIRIT.        229 


nature  of  that  selfishness  of  which  charity  is 
the  opposite;  then  how  charity  is  opposed  to 
it ;  and  then  some  of  the  evidence  in  support 
of  the  doctrine  stated. 

I.  I  vjoidd  show  the  nature  of  that  selfish- 
ness of  which  charity  is  the  opposite. — And 
here  I  would  observe, 

1.  Negatively :  That  charity^  or  the  spirit  of 
Christian  love^  is  not  contrary  to  all  self -love. — 
It  is  not  a  tiling  contrary  to  Christianity  that 
a  man  should  love  himself,  or  which  is  the 
same  thing,  should  love  his  own  happiness. 
If  Christianity  did  indeed  tend  to  destroy  a 
man's  love  to  himself,  and  to  his  own  happi- 
ness, it  would  therein  tend  to  destroy  the  very 
spirit  of  humanity ;  but  the  very  announce- 
ment of  the  gospel,  as  a  system  of  "  peace  on 
earth  and  good -will  toward  men"  (^Luke  ii.  14), 
shows  that  it  is  not  only  not  destructive  of  hu- 
manity, but  in  the  highest  degree  promotive 
of  its  spirit.  That  a  man  should  love  his  own 
happiness,  is  as  necessary  to  his  nature  as  the 
faculty  of  the  will  is  ;  and  it  is  impossible  that 
such  a  love  should  be  destroyed  in  any  other 
way  than  by  destroying  his  being.  The  saints 
love  their  own  ha2>piness.  Yea,  those  that 
are  perfect  in  happiness,  the  saints  and  an- 
16 


230  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CIIAKITY 


gels  in  heaven,  love  their  own  happiness; 
otherwise  that  happiness  which  God  hath 
given  them,  would  be  no  happiness  to  them; 
for  that  which  any  one  does  not  love,  he  can- 
not enjoy  any  haj^piness  in. 

That  to  love  ourselves  is  not  unlawful,  is 
evident,  also,  from  the  fact,  that  the  law  of 
God  makes  self-love  a  rule  and  measure  by 
which  our  love  to  others  should  be  regulated. 
Thus  Christ  commands  (Matthew  xix.  19), 
"Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself," 
which  certainly  supposes  that  we  may,  and 
must  love  ourselves.  It  is  not  said  Tnore  than 
thyself,  but  as  thyself.  But  we  are  com- 
manded to  love  our  neighbor  next  to  God  ; 
and  therefore  we  are  to  love  ourselves  with  a 
love,  next  to  that  which  we  should  exercise 
toward  God  himself.  And  the  same  appears, 
also,  from  the  fact  that  the  Scriptures,  from 
one  end  of  the  Bible  to  the  other,  are  full  of 
motives  that  are  set  forth  for  the  very  pur- 
pose of  working  on  the  principle  of  self-love 
Such  are  all  the  promises  and  threatenings  of 
tlie  word  of  God,  its  calls  and  invitations,  its 
counsels  to  seek  our  own  good,  and  its  warn- 
ings to  beware  of  misery.  These  things  can 
have  no  influence   on  us  in  any  other  way, 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   SELFISH   SPIRIT.       231 


than  as  they  tend  to  work  upon  oiir  hopes  or 
fears.  For  to  what  purpose  would  it  be  to 
make  any  promise  of  happiness,  or  hold  forth 
any  threatening  of  misery,  to  him  that  has  no 
love  for  the  former  or  dread  of  the  latter  ?  Or 
what  reason  can  there  be  in  counselling  him 
to  seek  the  one,  or" warning  him  to  avoid  the 
other  ?  Thus  it  is  plain,  negatively,  that 
charity,  or  the  spirit  of  Christian  love,  is  not 
contrary  to  all  self-love.  Eut  I  remark  still 
further, 

2.  Affirmatively :  That  the  selfishness  which 
charity^  or  a  Christian  spirit^  is  contrary  to^ 
is  only  an  inordinate  self-love. — Here,  how- 
ever, the  question  arises,  in  what  does  this  in- 
ordinateness  consist  ?  This  is  a  point  that 
needs  to  be  well  stated,  and  clearly  settled  ; 
for  the  refutation  of  many  scruples  and 
doubts  that  persons  often  have,  depends  upon 
it.     And  therefore,  I  answer, 

First.^  That  the  inordinateness  of  self-love, 
does  not  consist  in  our  love  of  our  own  happi- 
ness heing^  absolutely  considered.^  too  great  in 
degree.  I  do  not  suppose  it  can  be  said  of 
any,  that  their  love  to  their  own  ha2:)piness, 
if  we  consider  that  love  absolutely  and  not 
comparatively,  can  be  in  too  high  a  degi'ce, 


232  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


or  that  it  is  a  thing  that  is  liable  either  to  in- 
crease or  diminution.  For  I  apprehend  that 
self-love,  in  this  sense,  is  not  a  result  of  the 
fall,  but  is  necessary,  and  what  belongs  to  the 
nature  of  all  intelligent  beings,  and  that  God 
has  made  it  alike  in  all ;  and  that  saints,  and 
sinners,  and  all  alike,  love  happiness,  and 
have  the  same  unalterable  and  instinctive  in- 
clination to  desire  and  seek  it.  The  change 
that  takes  place  in  a  man  when  he  is  converted 
and  sanctified,  is  not  that  his  love  for  happi- 
ness is  diminished,  but  only  that  it  is  regu- 
lated with  respect  to  its  exercises  and  influ- 
ence, and  the  courses  and  objects  it  leads  to. 
Who  will  say  that  the  happy  souls  in  heaven 
do  not  love  happiness,  as  truly  as  the  misera- 
ble spirits  in  hell  ?  If  their  love  of  happiness 
is  diminished  by  their  being  made  holy,  then 
that  will  diminish  their  happiness  itself,  for 
the  less  any  one  loves  happiness,  the  less  he 
relishes  it,  and  consequently  is  the  less  happy. 
When  God  brings  a  soul  out  of  a  miserable 
state  and  condition,  into  a  happy  state,  by 
conversion,  he  gives  him  happiness  that  be- 
fore he  had  not,  but  he  does  not  at  the  same 
time  take  away  some  of  his  love  of  happiness. 
And  so  when  a  saint  increases  in  grace,  he  is 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.        233 


made  still  more  happy  than  he  was  before  ; 
but  his  love  of  ha]3piness,  and  his  relish  of  it, 
do  not  grow  less,  as  his  happiness  itself  in- 
creases, for  that  would  be  to  increase  his  hap- 
piness one  way,  and  to  diminish  it  another. 
But  in  every  case  in  which  God  makes  a  mis- 
erable soul  happy,  or  a  happy  soul  still  more 
happy,  he  continues  the  same  love  of  happi- 
ness that  existed  before.  And  so,  doubtless, 
the  saints  ought  to  have  as  much  of  a  princi- 
ple of  love  to  their  own  haj^piness,  or  love  to 
themselves,  which  is  the  same  thing,  as  the 
wicked  have.  So  that  if  we  consider  men's 
love  of  themselves,  or  of  their  own  happiness 
absolutely,  it  is  plain  that  the  inordinateness 
of  self-love  does  not  consist  in  its  being  in  too 
great  a  degree,  because  it  is  alike  in  all.  But 
I  remark. 

Secondly^  That  the  inordinateness  of  self- 
love  wherein  a  corrupt  selfishness  does  con- 
sist, lies  in  two  things  ;  in  its  heing  too  great 
comparatively^  and  in  placing  our  happiness 
in  that  which  is  confined  to  self.  In  tlie  first 
place,  the  degree  of  self-love  may  be  too  great 
comparatively.,  and  so  the  degree  of  its  influ- 
ence be  inordinate.  Though  the  degree  of 
men's  love  of  their  own  happiness,  taken  ah- 


234  THE   SPIRIT    OF   CHARITY 


sohitely,  may  in  all  be  tlie  same,  yet  the  pro- 
portion that  their  love  of  self  bears  to  their 
love  for  others,  may  not  be  the  same.  If  we 
compare  a  man's  love  of  himself  with  his  love 
for  others,  it  may  be  said  that  he  loves  him- 
self too  much ;  that  is,  in  proportion  too  much. 
And  though  this  may  be  owing  to  a  defect  of 
love  to  others,  rather  than  to  an  excess  of  love 
to  himself,  yet  self-love,  by  this  excess  in  its 
proportion,  itself  becomes  inordinate  in  this 
respect,  viz. :  that  it  becomes  inordinate  in  its 
influence  and  government  of  the  man.  For 
though  the  principle  of  self-love,  in  itself  con- 
sidered, is  not  at  all  greater  than  if  there  was 
a  due  proportion  of  love  to  God  and  to  fellow- 
creatures  with  it,  yet  the  proportion  being 
greater,  its  influence  and  government  of  the 
man  becomes  greater ;  and  so  its  influence 
becomes  inordinate  by  reason  of  the  weakness 
or  absence  of  other  love  that  should  restrain 
or  regulate  that  influence. 

To  illustrate  this,  we  may  suppose  "the  case 
of  a  servant  in  a  family,  who  was  formerly 
kept  in  the  place  of  a  servant,  and  whose  in- 
fluence in  family  aflairs  was  not  inordinate 
while  his  master's  strength  was  greater  than 
his ;  and  yet  if  afterward  the  master  grows 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.       235 


weaker  and  loses  his  strength,  and  the  rest 
of  the  family  lose  their  former  power,  though 
the  servant's  strength  be  not  at  all  increased, 
yet  the  proportion  of  his  strength  being  in- 
creased, his  influence  may  become  inordinate ; 
and  from  being  in  subjection  and  a  servant, 
he  may  become  master  in  that  house.  And  so 
self-love  becomes  inordinate.  Before  the  fall, 
man  loved  himself,  or  his  own  liiippiness,  as 
much  as  after  the  fall ;  but  then  a  suj^erior 
principle  of  divine  love  had  the  throne,  and 
was  of  such  strength  that  it  wholly  regulated 
and  directed  self-love.  But  since  the  fall,  the 
principle  of  divine  love  has  lost  its  strength, 
or  rather  is  dead,  so  that  self4ove  continuing 
in  its  former  strength,  and  having  no  superior 
principle  to  regulate  it,  becomes  inordinate  in 
its  influence,  and  governs  where  it  should  be 
subject,  and  only  a  servant.  Self-love,  then, 
may  become  inordinate  in  its  influence  by 
being  comparatively  too  great ;  either  by  love 
to  God  and  to  fellow-creatures  being  too 
small,  as  it  is  in  the  saints,  who  in  this  world 
have  great  remaining  corruption  ;  or  by  its 
being  none  at  all,  as  is  the  case  with  those 
who  have  no  divine  love  in  their  hearts.  Thus 
the  inordinateness  of  self-love,  with  respect  to 


236  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHAEITY 


the  degree  of  it,  is  not  as  it  is  considered  ab- 
solutely, but  comparatively  or  with  respect  to 
the  degree  of  its  influence.  In  some  respects 
wicked  men  do  not  love  themselves  enouo:h — 
not  so  much  as  the  godly  do  ;  for  they  do  not 
love  the  way  of  their  own  welfare  and  happi- 
ness, and  in  this  sense  it  is  sometimes  said 
of  the  wricked,  that  they  hate  themselves, 
though  in  another  sense,  they  love  self  too 
much. 

It  is  further  true,  in  the  second  place,  that 
self-love,  or  a  man^s  love  to  his  own  happi- 
ness may  be  inordinate,  i7i placing  that  happi- 
ness in  things  that  are  C07ijined  to  himself. 
In  this  case,  the  error  is  not  so  much  in  the 
degree  of  his  love  to  himself,  as  it  is  in  the 
channel  in  which  it  flows.  It  is  not  in  the 
degree  in  which  he  loves  liis  own  happiness, 
but  in  his  placing  his  happiness  where  he 
ought  not,  and  in  limiting  and  confining  his 
love.  Some,  although  they  love  their  own 
happiness,  do  not  place  that  happiness  in 
their  own  confined  good,  or  in  that  good  which 
is  limited  to  themselves,  but  more  in  the  com- 
mon good  ;  in  that  which  is  the  good  of  others, 
or  in  the  good  to  be  enjoyed  in  and  by  others. 
A  man's  love  of  his  own  happiness,  when  it 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.        237 


runs  in  this  last  channel,  is  not  what  is  called 
selfishness,  but  is  the  very  opposite  of  it.  But 
there  are  others,  who  in  their  love  to  their 
own  happiness,  place  that  happiness  in  good 
things  that  are  confined  or  limited  to  them- 
selves to  the  exclusion  of  others.  And  this  is 
selfishness.  This  is  the  thing  most  clearly 
and  directly  intended  by  that  self-love  which 
the  Scripture  condemns.  And  when  it  is  said, 
that  charity  seeketh  not  her  own,  we  are  to 
understand  it  of  her  own  private  good — good 
limited  to  herself.  The  expression  "her 
own,"  is  a  phrase  of  appropriation,  and  prop- 
erly carries  in  its  signification  the  idea  of 
limitation  to  self.  And  so  the  like  phrase 
in  Philippians  ii.  21,  that  "all  seek  their 
own,"  carries  the  idea  of  confined  and  self- 
appropriated  good,  or  the  good  that  a  man 
has  singly  and  to  himself,  and  in  which  he 
has  no  communion  or  partnership  with  an- 
other, but  which  he  has  so  circumscribed  and 
limited  to  himself  as  to  exclude  others.  And 
so  the  expression  is  to  be  understood,  in  2  Timo- 
thy iii.  2,  -'-For  men  shall  be  lo^'ers  of  their 
own  selves ;"  fur  the  phrase  is  of  the  most 
confined  signification,  limited  to  self  alono. 
and  excluding  all  others. 


238  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


A  man  may  love  himself  as  mucli  as  one 
can,  and  may  be  in  tlie  exercise  of  a  high 
degn?e  of  love  to  his  own  happiness,  cease- 
lessly longing  for  it,  and  yet  he  may  so  place 
that  happiness,  that  in  the  very  act  of  seeking 
it  he  may  be  in  the  high  exercise  of  love  to 
God  ;  as  for  example,  when  the  happiness 
that  he  longs  for,  is,  to  enjoy  God,  or  to  be- 
hold his  glory,  or  to  hold  communion  with 
him.  Or  a  man  may  place  his  happiness  in 
glorifying  God.  It  may  seem  to  him  the 
greatest  happiness  that  he  can  conceive  of,  to 
give  God  glory  as  he  may  do,  and  he  may  long 
for  this  happiness.  And  in  longing  for  it,  he 
loves  that  which  he  looks  on  as  his  happiness  ; 
for  if  he  did  not  love  what  in  this  case  he  es- 
teemed his  happiness,  he  would  not  long  for 
it,  and  to  love  his  happiness,  is  to  love  him- 
self. And  yet,  in  the  same  act,  he  loves  God, 
because  he  places  his  happiness  in  God  ;  for 
nothing  can  more  properl}^  be  called  love  to 
any  being  or  thing,  than  to  place  our  'happi- 
ness in  it.  And  so  persons  may  place  their 
happiness  considerably  in  the  good  of  others, 
their  neighbors  for  instance;  and  desiring  the 
happiness  that  consists  in  seeking  their  good, 
they  may,  in  seeking  it,  love  themselves,  and 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    Sl^LFISH    SPIRIT.        239 


their  own  happiness.  And  yet  this  is  not  sel- 
fishness, because  it  is  not  a  confined  self-love, 
but  the  individual's  self-love  flows  out  in  such 
a  channel  as  to  take  in  others  with  himself. 
The  self  that  he  loves,  is,  as  it  were,  enlarged 
and  multiplied,  so  that  in  the  very  acts  in 
which  he  loves  himself,  he  loves  others  also. 
And  this  is  the  Christian  spirit,  the  excellent 
and  noble  spirit  of  the  gospel  of  Jesus  Christ. 
This  is  the  nature  of  that  divine  love,  or  Chris- 
tian charity,  that  is  sj)oken  of  in  the  text. 
And  a  Christian  spirit  is  contrary  to  that  self- 
ish spirit  which  consists  in  the  self-love  that 
goes  out  after  such  objects  as  are  confined  and 
limited — such  as  a  man's  worldly  wealth,  or 
the  honor  that  consists  in  a  man's  being  set 
up  higher  in  the  world  than  his  neighbors,  or 
his  own  worldly  ease  and  convenience,  or  his 
pleasing  and  gratifying  his  own  bodily  appe- 
tites and  lusts.  Having  thus  stated  what 
that  selfishness  is  that  a  Christian  spirit  is 
contrary  to,  I  pass,  as  proposed,  to  show, 

II.  How  the  spirit  of  charity^  or  Christian 
love^  is  contrary  to  such  a  spirit. — And  tins 
may  be  shown  in  these  two  particulars,  that 
the  spirit  of  charity,  or  Christian  love,  leads  us 
to  seek  not  only  our  own  things,  but  those  of 


240  THE   SPmiT   OF   CHAEITT 


others ;  and  that  it  disposes  us,  in  many  cases, 
to  forego,  or  part  with  our  own  things  for  the 
Bake  of  others.     And, 

1.  Tlie  spirit  of  charity  or  love  leads  those 
who  possess  it^  to  seeh  not  only  their  own  things^ 
hut  the  things  of  others. 

First^  Such  a  spirit  seeks  to  please  and  glo- 
rify God.  The  things  that  are  well  j)leasing 
to  Cxod  and  Christ,  and  that  tend  to  the  divine 
glory,  are  called  the  things  of  Christ,  in  oppo- 
sition to  our  own  things,  as,  where  it  is  said 
(Philippians  ii.  21),  "  All  seek  their  own,  not 
the  things  which  are  Jesus  Christ's."  Chris- 
tianity requires  that  we  should  make  God  and 
Christ  our  main  end  ;  and  all  Christians,  so 
far  as  they  live  like  Christians,  live  so,  that 
"for  them  to  live  is  Christ."  Christians  are 
required  to  live  so  as  to  please  God,  and  so  as 
to  "  prove  what  is  that  good  and  acceptable 
and  i^erfect  will  of  God"  (Romans  xii.  2).  We 
should  be  such  servants  of  Christ  as  do,  in  all 
things,  seek  to  please  our  master,  as  s'ays  the 
Apostle  (Ephesians  vi.  G),  "Xot  with  eye- 
service,  as  men-pleasers ;  but  as  the  servants 
of  Christ,  doing  the  will  of  God  from  ^Jie 
heart."  And  so  we  are  required  in  all 
things  (1   Corinthians  x.  31),   "Whether  we 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   SELFISH   SPIRIT.       24:1 


eat,  or  drink,  or  whatsoever  we  do,  to  do  all  to 
the  glory  of  God."  And  this,  surely,  is  a 
spirit,  which  is  the  opposite  of  self-seeking. 

Secondly^  They  that  have  the  spirit  of  char- 
ity, or  Christian  love,  have  a  spirit  to  seek  the 
goodof  their  fellow-creatures.  Thus  the  Apos- 
tle commands  (Philippians  ii.  4),  "  Look  not 
every  man  on  his  own  things,  but  every  man, 
also,  on  the  things  of  others."  We  ought  to 
seek  the  spiritual  good  of  others,  and  if  we 
have  a  Christian  spirit,  we  shall  desire  and 
seek  their  spiritual  welfare  and  happiness, 
their  salvation  from  hell,  and  that  they  may 
glorify  and  enjoy  God  forever.  And  the  same 
spirit  will  dispose  us  to  desire  and  seek  the 
temjDoral  prosperity  of  others,  as  says  the 
Apostle  (1  Corinthians  x.  24),  "  Let  no  man 
seek  his  own,  but  every  man  another's 
wealth."  And  we  should  so  seek  their  plea- 
sure, that  therein  we  can,  at  the  same  time, 
seek  their  profit,  as  again  it  is  said  by  the 
Apostle  (1  Corinthians  x.  33),  "  Even  as  I 
please  all  men  in  all  things,  not  seeking  mine 
own  profit,  but  the  profit  of  many,  that  they 
may  be  saved ;"  and  again  (Romans  xv.  2), 
"  Let  every  one  of  us  please  his  neighbor,  for 
his  good,  to  edification."     But  more  particu- 


242  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


larly  under  this  head,  I  would  remark,  that  a 
spirit  of  charity,  or  Christian  love,  as  exer- 
cised toward  our  fellow-creatures,  is  opposite 
to  a  selfish  spirit,  as  it  is  a  syinjjathizing  oAid 
merciful  spirit.  It  disposes  persons  to  con- 
sider not  only  their  own  difficulties,  but  also 
the  burdens  and  afflictions  of  others,  and  the 
difficulties  of  their  circumstances,  and  to  es- 
teem the  case  of  those  who  are  in  straits  and 
necessities,  as  their  own.  A  person  of  selfish 
spirit,  is  ready  to  make  much  of  the  afflic- 
tions that  he  himself  is  under,  as  if  his  priva- 
tions or  sufferings  were  greater  than  those  of 
anybody  else ;  and  if  he  is  not  in  suffering, 
he  is  ready  to  think  he  is  not  called  to 
spare  what  he  has  in  possession,  for  the  sake 
of  helping  others.  A  selfish  man  is  not  apt 
to  discern  the  wants  of  others,  but  rather  to 
overlook  them,  and  can  hardly  be  persuaded 
to  see  or  feel  them.  But  a  man  of  charitable 
spirit,  is  apt  to  see  the  afflictions  of  others, 
and  to  take  notice  of  their  aggravation,  and 
to  be  filled  with  concern  for  them,  as  he  would 
be  for  himself  if  under  difficulties.  And  he  is 
ready,  also,  to  help  them,  and  take  delight  in 
supplying  their  necessities,  and  relieving 
their  difficulties.      He  rejoices  to  obey  that 


TriE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   SELFISH   SPIRIT.       243 


injunction  of  the  Apostle  (Colossians  iii.  2), 
"  Put  on,  therefore,  as  the  elect  of  God,  holy 
and  beloved,  bowels  of  mercies,  kindness  ;" 
and  to  cherish  the  spirit  of  ^'wisdom  (James 
iii.  17)  that  is  from  above,"  which  is  "full 
of  mercy;"  and  like  the  good  man  spoken  of 
by  the  Psalmist  (Psalm  xxxvii.  26),  to  bo 
"  merciful,"  that  is,  full  of  mercy. 

And  as  it  is  a  sympathizing  and  merciful 
spirit,  so  the  spirit  of  charity  as  exercised  to- 
ward our  fellow-creatures,  is  the  opposite  of  a 
selfish,  inasmuch  as  it  is  a  liberal  spirit.  It 
not  only  seeks  the  good  of  others  that  are  in 
affliction,  but  it  is  ready  to  communicate  to 
all,  and  forward  to  promote  their  good,  as 
there  may  be  opportunity.  "  To  do  good,  and 
to  communicate,  it  forgets  not"  (Hebrews  xiii. 
16) ;  but  obeys  the  exhortation  (Galatians  vi. 
10),  "  As  we  have  opportunity,  let  us  do  good 
unto  all  men."  But  on  this  point,  I  need  not 
enlarge,  having  already  dwelt  upon  it  at 
length,  in  the  Lecture  on  "  Charity  is  Kind." 

And  as  the  spirit  of  charity,  or  Christian 
love,  is  opposed  to  a  selfish  spirit,  in  that  it 
is  merciful  and  liberal,  so  it  is  in  this,  also, 
that  it  disposes  a  person  to  he  public- spirited, 
A  man  of  a  right  spirit,  is  not  a  man  of  nar- 


24:4  THE   SPIRIT    OF    CHARIir 


row  and  private  views,  but  is  greatly  interest- 
ed and  concerned  for  the  good  of  the  commu- 
nity to  which  he  belongs,  and  particularly  of 
the  city  or  village  in  which  he  resides,  and 
for  the  true  welfare  of  the  society  of  which  he 
is  a  member.  God  commanded  the  Jews  that 
were  carried  away  captive  to  Babylon,  to  seek 
the  good  of  that  city,  though  it  was  not  their 
native  place,  but  only  the  city  of  their  captiv- 
ity. His  injunction  was  (Jeremiah  xxix.  7), 
"  Seek  the  peace  of  the  city  whither  I  have 
caused  you  to  be  carried  away  captives,  and 
pray  unto  the  Lord  for  it."  And  a  man  of 
truly  Christian  spirit,  will  be  earnest  for  the 
good  of  his  country,  and  of  the  place  of  his 
residence,  and  will  be  disposed  to  lay  him- 
self out  for  its  improvement.  A  man  was  rec- 
ommended to  Christ  by  the  Jews  (Luke  vii. 
5),  as  one  that  loved  their  nation  and  had 
built  them  a  synagogue  ;  and  it  is  spoken  of 
as  a  very  provoking  thing  to  God,  with  respect 
to  some  in  Israel  (Amos  vi.  6),  that  they  "  were 
not  grieved  for  the  affliction  of  Joseph."  And 
it  is  recorded,  to  the  everlasting  honor  of  Es- 
ther (Esther  xiv.  16),  that  she  herself  fasted 
and  prayed,  and  stirred  up  others  to  fast  and 
pray  for  the  welfare  of  her  people.     And  the 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.        24:5 


Apostle  Paul  (Romans  ix.  1,  2,  3),  expresses 
the  deepest  concern  for  the  welfare  of  his 
countrymen.  And  those  that  are  possessed 
of  the  spirit  of  Christian  charity,  are  of  a 
more  enlarged  spirit  still,  for  they  are  con- 
cerned, not  only  for  the  thrift  of  the  commu- 
nity, but  for  the  welfare  of  the  church  of 
God,  and  of  all  the  people  of  God  individu- 
ally. Of  such  a  spirit  was  Moses,  the  man 
of  God,  and  therefore  he  earnestly  interceded 
for  God's  visible  ]3eop]e,  and  declared  himself 
ready  to  die  that  they  might  be  spared  (Exo- 
dus xxxii.  11,  and  32).  And  of  such  a  spirit 
was  Paul,  who  was  so  concerned  for  the  wel- 
fare of  all,  both  Jews  and  Gentiles,  that  he 
Vv^as  willing  to  become  as  they  were  (1  Corin- 
thians ix.  19-23)  if  possibly  he  might  save 
some  of  them. 

Especially  will  the  spirit  of  Christian  love 
dispose  those  that  stand  in  a  public  capacity, 
Buch  as  that  of  ministers,  and  magistrates,  and 
all  public  officers,  to  seek  the  public  good.  It 
will  dispose  magistrates  to  act  as  the  fathers 
of  the  commonwealth,  with  that  care  and  con- 
cern for  the  public  good,  which  the  father  of  a 
family  has  for  his  household.  It  will  make 
them  watchful  against  public  dangers,  and 
17 


246  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


forward  to  use  their  powers  for  the  j)romotion 
of  the  public  benefit ;  not  being  governed  by 
selfish  motives  in  their  administration ;  not 
seeking  only,  or  mainly,  to  enrich  themselves, 
or  to  become  great,  and  to  advance  them- 
selves on  the  spoils  of  others,  as  wicked  rulers 
very  often  do,  but  striving  to  act  for  the  true 
welfare  of  all  to  whom  their  authority  extends. 
And  the  same  spirit  will  dispose  ministers  not 
to  seek  their  own,  and  endeavor  to  get  all  they 
can  out  of  their  people  to  enrich  themselves 
and  their  families,  but  to  seek  the  good  of  the 
flock  over  which  the  great  Shepherd  has  placed 
them  ;  to  feed,  and  watch  over  them,  and  lead 
them  to  good  pastures,  and  defend  them  from 
wolves  and  wild  beasts  that  would  devour 
them.  And  so  whatever  the  post  of  honor 
or  influence,  we  may  be  placed  in,  we  should 
show  that,  in  it,  we  are  solicitous  for  the  good 
of  the  public,  so  that  the  world  may  be  better 
for  our  living  in  it,  and  that  when  we  are 
gone,  it  may  be  said  of  us,  as  it'was  so 
nobly  said  of  David  (Acts  xiii.  36),  that  we 
"served  our  generation  by  the  will  of  God." 
But, 

2.  The  spii'it  of  chajrity  or  love^  also  dis- 
poses uSy  in  many  cases,  to  forego,  and  ^j>cwf 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.        217 


with  our  oion  things^  for  the  sake  of  others. — 
It  disposes  iis  to  part  with  our  own  private 
temporal  interest,  and  totally  and  freely  to 
renounce  it,  for  the  sake  of  the  honor  of  God, 
and  the  advancement  of  the  kingdom  of 
Christ.  Such  was  the  spirit  of  the  Apostle 
Paul,  when  he  exclaimed  (Acts  xxi.  13),  "I 
am  ready  not  to  be  bound  only,  but  also  to 
die  at  Jerusalem  fur  the  name  of  the  Lord 
Jesus."  And  the  same  spirit  will  dispose  us 
often  to  forego  or  part  with  our  own  j^i'ivate 
interest  for  the  good  of  our  neighbors.  It 
will  make  us  ready  on  every  occasion  to  aid 
or  help  them,  leading  us  willingly  to  part 
with  a  lesser  good  of  our  own,  for  the  sake  of 
a  greater  good  to  them.  And  the  case  may 
even  be  such  (1  Joliii  iii.  16),  that  "  we  ought 
to  lay  down  our  lives  for  the  brethren."  But 
I  will  not  dwell  longer  on  this  point  now,  as  I 
shall  probably  have  occasion  to  speak  more  to 
it  under  some  other  part  of  the  context.  I 
pass  then,  as  proposed, 

III.  To  notice  some  of  the  evidence  sustairv- 
ing  the  doctrine  %ohich  has  heen  stated. — And 
the  truth  of  the  doctrine,  that  the  spirit  of 
charity  of  Christian  love  is  the  opposite  of  a 
selfish  spirit,  will  appear,  if  we  consider  the 


248  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


nature  of  love  in  general,  the  peculiar  natuie 
of  Christian  or  divine  love,  and  the  nature  of 
Cliristian  love  to  God  and  to  man  in  particu- 
lar.    And, 

1.  The  nature  of  love  in  general. — ^Tliis,  so 
far  as  it  is  real  and  truly  sincere,  is  of  a  diffu- 
sive nature,  and  espouses  the  interest  of  others. 
It  is  so  with  the  love  of  natural  affection,  and 
earthly  friendship.  So  far  as  there  is  any 
real  affection  or  friendship,  the  parties  be- 
tween which  it  subsists  do  not  seek  only  their 
own  particular  interests,  but  do  espouse  and 
seek  the  interests  of  each  other.  They  seek 
not  only  their  own  things,  but  the  things  of 
their  friends.  Selfishness  is  a  principle  that 
contracts  the  heart,  and  confines  it  to  self, 
while  love  enlarges  it  and  extends  it  to  others. 
By  love,  a  man's  self  is  so  extended  and  en- 
larged, that  others,  so  far  as  they  are  beloved, 
do,  as  it  were,  become  parts  of  himself,  so 
that  wherein  their  interest  is  promoted,  he  be- 
lieves his  own  is  promoted,  and  wherein  theirs 
is  injured,  his  also  is  injured.  And  still  fur- 
ther will  this  appear,  if  we  consider, 

2.  The  peculiar  nature  of  Christian  or  di- 
vine love. — Of  charity,  or  Christian  love,  it  is 
peculiarly  true,  that  it  is  above  the  selfish 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.       249 


principle.  Tbongli  all  real  love  to  others 
seeks  the  good,  and  espouses  the  interests  of 
those  who  are  beloved,  yet  all  other  love,  ex- 
cepting this,  has  its  foundation,  in  one  sense, 
in  the  selfish  principle.  So  it  is  with  the  natu- 
ral affection  wliich  parents  feel  for  their  chil- 
dren, and  with  the  love  which  relatives  have 
one  to  another.  If  we  exce23t  the  impulses  of 
instinct,  self-love  is  the  main  spring  of  it.  It 
is  because  men  love  themselves,  that  they  love 
those  persons  and  things  that  are  their  own,  or 
that  they  are  nearly  related  to,  and  which  they 
look  upon  as  belonging  to  themselves,  and 
which,  by  the  constitution  of  society,  have 
their  interest  and  honor  linked  with  their  own. 
And  so  it  is  in  the  closest  friendships  that 
exist  among  men.  Self-love  is  the  spring 
whence  they  proceed.  Sometimes  natural 
gratitude,  for  good  turns  that  have  been  done 
them  by  others,  or  for  benefits  received  from 
them,  disposes  men,  through  self-love,  to  a 
gimilar  respect  to  those  that  have  shown  them 
fiindness,  or  by  whom  their  self-interest  has 
been  promoted.  And  sometimes  natural  men 
are  led  into  a  friendship  to  others,  from  quali- 
fications that  they  see  or  find  in  them,  whence 
thoy  hope  for  the  promotion  of  their  oivn  tern- 


250  THE   SPIRIT   OF    CHAEITY 


poral  good.  If  thej  see  that  others  are  dis- 
posed to  be  resj^ectful  to  tbem,  and  to  give 
tliem  honor,  then  love  to  their  own  honor  will 
lead  them  to  friendship  with  such  ;  or  if  they 
see  them  generously  disposed  to  them,  then 
love  to  their  own  profit  will  dispose  them  to 
friendship  to  them  on  this  account ;  or  if  they 
find  in  them  a  great  agreement  with  them- 
selves in  disposition  and  manners,  self-love 
may  dispose  them  to  amity  with  them  on  ac- 
count of  the  enjoyment  they  hope  in  their 
society,  or  because  this  agreement  with  them 
in  their  temper  and  ways,  carries  with  it  the 
approbation  of  their  own  temper  and  ways. 
And  so  there  are  many  other  ways,  in  which 
self-love  is  the  source  of  that  love  and  friend- 
ship that  often  arises  between  natural  men. 
Most  of  the  love  that  there  is  in  the  world, 
arises  from  this  principle,  and  therefore  it  does 
not  go  beyond  nature.  And  nature  cannot  go 
beyond  self-love,  but  all  that  men  do,  is,  some 
way  or  other,  from  this  root. 

Bnt  divine  love,  or  the  charity  that  i? 
spoken  of  in  the  text,  is  something  above  self- 
love,  as  it  is  something  supernatural,  or  above 
and  beyond  all  that  is  natural.  It  is  not  a 
branch  that  springs  out  of  the  root  of  self-love, 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A   SELFISH    SPIKI'l         251 


as  natural  affection,  and  worldly  friendslilps, 
and  the  love  that  men  may  have  to  one  an 
other,  as  snch,  do.  But  as  self-love  is  the  off- 
spring of  natural  principles,  so  divine  love  is 
the  offspring  of  supernatural  princiijles.  The 
latter  is  something  of  a  liigher  and  nobler 
kind,  than  any  plant  that  grows  naturally  in 
such  a  soil  as  the  heart  of  man.  It  is  a  plant 
transplanted  into  the  soul  out  of  the  garden  of 
heaven,  by  tlie  holy  and  blessed  sj^irit  of  God ; 
and  so  has  its  life  in  God,  and  not  in  self.  And 
therefore  there  is  no  other  love  so  much  above 
the  selfish  principle,  as  Christian  love  is ;  no 
love  that  is  so  free  and  disinterested,  and  in 
the  exercise  of  which  God  is  so  loved  for  him 
self  and  his  own  sake,  and  men  are  loved  not 
because  of  their  relation  to  self,  but  because 
of  their  relation  to  God  as  his  children,  and  as 
those  who  are  the  creatures  of  his  power,  or 
under  the  influence  of  his  spirit.  And  there- 
fore divine  love,  or  charity,  above  all  love  in 
the  world,  is  contrary  to  a  selfish  spirit. 
Olher,  or  natural  love  may,  in  some  respects, 
be  contrary  to  selfishness,  inasmuch  as  it  may, 
and  often  does,  move  men  to  much  liberality 
and  generosity  to  those  they  love  ;  and  yet,  in 
other  respects,  it  agrees  with  a  selfish  spirit, 


252  THE    SPIRIT    OP    CHARITF 


because  if  we  follow  it  up  to  its  original,  it 
arises  from  the  same  root,  viz. :  a  principle  of 
self-love.  But  divine  love  has  its  spring, 
where  its  root  is,  in  Jesus  Christ ;  and  so  it  is 
not  of  this  world,  but  of  a  higher ;  and  it  tends 
thither  whence  it  came.  And  as  it  does  not 
spring  out  of  self,  so  neither  does  it  tend  to 
self.  It  delights  in  the  honor  and  gloiy  of 
God.  for  his  own  sake,  and  not  merely  for  the 
sake  of  self ;  and  it  seeks  and  delights  in  the 
good  of  men,  for  their  sake,  and  for  God's 
sake.  And  that  divine  love  is,  indeed,  a  princi- 
ple far  above  and  contrary  to  a  selfish  spirit,  ap- 
pears further  from  this,  viz. :  that  it  goes  out 
even  to  enemies  ;  and  that  it  is  its  nature  and 
tendency,  to  go  out  to  the  unthankful  and 
evil,  and  to  those  that  injure  and  hate  us, 
which  is  directly  contrary  to  the  tendency  of 
a  selfish  principle,  and  entirely  abov^e  nature 
— ^less  man-like  than  God-like.  That  Chris- 
tian love,  or  charity,  is  contrary  to  a  selfish 
spirit,  is  further  plain, 

3.  From  the  nature  of  this  love  to  God  a-nd 
to  man  inpartictdar.     And, 

Firsi^  From  the  nature  of  this  love  to  God. 
If  w^e  consider  what  the  Scriptures  tell  us  of 
the  nature  of  love  to  God,  we  find  that  they 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   SELFISH   SPIPJT.       253 


teach  that  those  who  truly  love  God,  love  him 
80  as  wholly  to  devote  themselves  to  him  and 
his  service.  This  we  are  taught  is  the  sum  of 
the  ten  commandments,'  "  Thou  shalt  love 
the  Lord  thy  God  with  all  thy  heart,  and  with 
all  thy  soul,  and  with  all  thy  mind,  and  with 
all  thy  strength"  (Mark  xii.  30).  In  these 
words  is  contained  a  description  of  a  right 
love  to  God  ;  and  they  teach  us,  that  those 
who  love  him  aright,  do  devote  themselves 
wholly  to  him.  They  devote  all  to  him  :  all 
their  heart,  and  all  their  soul,  and  all  their 
mind,  and  all  their  strength,  or  all  their 
powders  and  faculties.  Surely  a  man  who 
gives  all  this  wholly  to  God,  keeps  nothing 
back,  but  devotes  himself  wholly  and  entirely 
to  him,  making  no  reserve  ;  and  all  who  have 
true  love  to  God,  have  a  spirit  to  do  this. 
This  shows  how  much  a  principle  of  true 
love  to  God,  is  above  the  selfish  principle. 
For  if  self  be  devoted  wholly  to  God,  then 
there  is  something,  above  self,  that  overcomes 
it ;  something  superior  to  self,  that  takes  self, 
and  makes  an  oifering  of  it  to  God.  A  sellieh 
principle  never  devotes  itself  to  another.  The 
nature  of  it  is,  to  devote  all  others  to  self. 
They  that  have  true  love  to  God,  love  him  as 


254  THE   SPIKIT   OF   CHAEITY 


God,  and  as  the  Supreme  Good,  whereas  it  is 
the  nature  of  selfishness  to  set  up  self  in  the 
place  of  God,  and  to  make  an  idol  of  self. 
That  being  whom  men  regard  supremely,  they 
devote  all  to.  They  that  idolize  self,  devote 
all  to  self;  but  they  that  love  God  as  God, 
devote  all  to  him. 

That  Christian  love,  or  charity,  is  contrary 
to  a  selfish  spirit,  will  further  ajDpear,  if  we 
consider  what  the  Scriptures  teach. 

Secondly^  Of  the  nature  of  this  love  to  man. 
And  there  are  two  chief  and  most  remarkable 
descriptions  that  the  Bible  gives  us  of  a  truly 
gracious  love  to  our  neighbors,  each  of  which 
should  be  noticed. 

The^r.§^  of  these,  is  the  requirement  that 
we  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  This  we 
have  in  the  Old  Testament  (Leviticus  xix.  18); 
"Thou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself;" 
and  this  Christ  cites  (Matthew  xxii.39),  as  the 
sum  of  all  the  duties  of  the  second-table  of  the 
law.  JSTow  this  is  contrary  to  selfishness,  for 
love  is  not  of  such  a  nature  as  confines  the 
heart  to  self,  but  leads  it  forth  to  others  as  well 
as  self,  and  in  like  manner  as  to  self.  It  dis- 
poses us  to  look  upon  our  neighbors,  as 
being,  as  it  were,  one  with   ourselves  ;  and 


THE   OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH   SPIRIT.        255 


not  only  to  consider  our  own  circumstances 
and  interests,  but  to  consider  tlie  wants  of 
our  neighbors,  as  we  do  our  own  ;  not  only  to 
have  regard  to  our  own  desires,  but  to  the  de- 
sires of  others,  and  to  do  to  them  as  we  would 
have  them  do  to  us. 

And  the  second  remarkable  description 
which  the  Scriptures  give  us  of  Christian  char- 
ity, which  shows  huw  contrary  it  is  to  selfish- 
ness, is,  that  of  loving  others,  as  Christ  hath 
loved  us.  "  A  new  commandment,"  says 
Christ  (John  xiii.  34),  "I  give  unto  you,  that 
ye  love  one  another  :  as  I  have  loved  you, 
that  ye  also  love  one  another."  It  is  called  a 
new  commandment,  as  contradistinguished 
from  that  old  one  (Leviticus  xix.  18),  "Thou 
shalt  love  thy  neighbor  as  thyself."  Not 
that  the  duty  of  love  to  others,  which  is  the 
matter  of  the  commandment,  was  new,  for  the 
same  kind  of  love  was  required  of  old,  under 
the  Old  Testament,  wdiich  is  required  now. 
But  it  is  called  a  new  commandment,  in  this  re. 
8pcct,  that  the  rule  and  motive  annexed  which 
we  are  now^nore  especially  to  have  an  eye  to, 
in  tiiese  days  of  the  gospel,  are  new.  The 
rule  and  motive  more  especially  set  in  view 
of  old,  was,  our   love  to  ourselves,  that  we 


256  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


should  love  our  neighbor  as  ourselves.  But  the 
motive  and  rule  more  especially  set  in  view 
now,  in  these  days  of  the  gospel,  and  since 
the  love  of  Christ  has  been  so  wonderfully 
manifested,  is,  the  love  of  Christ  to  us,  that 
we  should  love  our  neighbor  as  Christ  hath 
loved  us.  It  is  here  called  a  nev)  command- 
ment ;  and  so,  in  John  xv.  12,  Christ  calls 
it  his  commandment,  saying  emphatically, 
"This  is  my  commandment,  that  ye  love  one 
another  as  I  have  loved  you."  That  we 
should  love  one  another  as  we  love  ourselves, 
is  Moses'  commandment ;  but  that  we  should 
love  one  another  as  Christ  hath  loved  us,  is 
the  commandment  of  God  our  Saviour.  It 
is  the  same  commandment,  as  to  the  sub- 
stance of  it,  that  was  given  of  old,  but  w^ith 
new  light  shining  upon  it  from  the  love  of 
Jesus  Christ,  and  a  new  enforcement  annexed 
to  it,  by  him,  beyond  ^vhat  Moses  annexed. 
So  that  this  rule  of  loving  others  as  Christ  has 
loved  us,  does  more  clearly,  and  in' a  further 
degree,  show  us  our  duty  and  obligation  with 
respect  to  loving  our  neighbors,  than  as  Moses 
stated  it. 

But  to  return  from  this  digression,  let  us 
consider  how  this  description  that  Christ  gives 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIEIT.        257 


of  Christian  love  to  others,  shows  it  to  be  the 
contrary  of  selfishness,  by  considering  in  what 
manner  Christ  has  expressed  love  to  us,  and 
how  much  there  is  in  the  example  of  his  love, 
to  enforce  the  contrary  of  a  selfish  spirit, 
i^nd  this  we  may  see  'wifoiir  things: — ■ 

First^  Christ  has  set  his  love  on  tJtose  that 
were  his  enemies.  There  was  not  only  no 
love  to  himself  in  those  on  whom  lie  set  his 
love,  but  they  were  full  of  enmity,  and  of  a 
principle  of  actual  hatred  to  him.  "  God 
commendeth  his  love  toward  us,  in  that,  while 
we  were  yet  sinners,"  or  as  in  the  next  verse 
but  one,  "enemies,"  "Christ  died  for  us" 
(Eomans  v.  8,  10). 

Second.^  Such  was  Christ's  love  to  us,  that 
he  was  pleased,  iii  some  respects^  to  look  on  us 
as  himself.  By  his  love  to  us,  if  we  will  but 
accept  his  love,  he  has  so  espoused  us,  and 
united  his  heart  to  us,  that  he  is  pleased  to 
speak  of  ns,  and  regard  us  as  himself.  His 
elect  were,  from  all  eternity,  dear  to  him  as 
the  apple  of  his  eye.  He  looked  upon  them 
60  much  as  himself,  that  he  regarded  their 
concerns  as  his,  and  their  interests  as  his 
own  ;  and  he  has  even  made  their  guilt  as  his, 
by  a  gracious  assumption  of  it  to  himself,  that 


258  THE   SPIRIT    OF    CHAEITY 


it  miglit  be  looked  upon  as  liis  own,  tlirongh 
that  divine  imputation,  in  virtue  of  which  they 
are  treated  as  innocent,  while  he  suffers  for 
them.  And  his  love  has  sought  to  unite  them 
to  himself,  so  as  -to  make  them,  as  it  w^ere, 
members  of  his  body,  so  that  they  are  his 
flesh  and  his  bones,  as  he  himself  seems  to 
say  in  Matt.  xxv.  40,  when  he  declares,  "  In- 
asmuch as  ye  have  done  it  unto  one  of  the 
least  of  these  my  brethren,  ye  have  done  it 
unto  me." 

Thirds  Such  was  the  love  of  Christ  to  us, 
that  he  did,  as  it  were,  s^end  himself  f 07'  our 
saJces.  His  love  did  not  rest  in  mere  feeling, 
or  in  light  eitbrts  and  small  sacrifices,  but 
though  we  were  enemies,  yet  lie  so  loved  us, 
that  he  had  a  heart  to  deny  himself,  and  un- 
dertake the  greatest  efforts,  and  undergo  the 
greatest  sufferings  for  our  sakes.  He  gave  up 
his  own  ease,  and  comfort,  and  interest,  and 
honor,  and  wealt]i,and  became  poor,  and  out- 
cast, and  despised,  and  had  not  where  to  lay 
his  head,  and  all  for  us!  And  not  only  so, 
but  he  slied  his  own  blood  tor  us,  and  offered 
himself  a  sacrifice  to  God's  justice,  that  we 
might  be  forgiven,  and  accepted,  and  saved! 
And, 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.        259 


Fourth^  Christ  thus  loved  u^^  without  amj  ex- 
pectation of  ever  heing  requited  hy  us  for  his  love. 
He  did  not  stand  in  need  of  anything  we  could 
do  for  him,  and  well  knew  that  we  should 
never  be  able  to  requite  him  for  his  kindness 
to  us,  or  even  to  do  anything  toward  it.  He 
knew  that  we  were  poor,  miserable,  and  emp- 
ty-handed outcasts,  who  might  receive  from 
him,  but  could  render  nothing  to  him  in  re- 
turn. He  knew  that  we  had  no  money  or 
price  with  which  to  purchase  anything,  and 
that  he  must  freely  give  us  all  things  that  we 
needed,  or  else  we  should  be  eternally  with- 
out them.  And  shall  not  we  be  far  from  a 
selfish  spirit  and  utterly  contrary  to  it,  if  we 
love  one  another  after  such  a  manner  as  this, 
or  if  we  have  the  same  spirit  of  love  toward 
others  that  was  in  Christ  toward  ourselves? 
If  this  is  our  spirit,  our  love  to  others  will  not 
depend  on  their  love  to  us,  but  we  shall  do  as 
Christ  did  to  us,  love  them  even  though  they 
are  enemies.  We  shall  not  only  seek  our  own 
things,  but  we  shall  in  our  hearts  be  so  united 
to  others,  that  we  shall  look  on  their  things  as 
our  own.  We  shall  endeavor  to  be  interested 
in  their  good,  as  Christ  was  in  ours  ;  and  shal] 
be  ready  to  forego  and  part  with   our  own 


260  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


things,  in  many  cases,  for  tlie  things  of  others, 
as  Christ  did  toward  us.  And  these  things 
we  shall  be  willing  and  ready  to  do  for  others, 
without  any  expectation  of  being  repaid  by 
them,  as  Christ  did  such  great  things  for  us 
without  any  expectation  of  requital  or  return. 
If  such  be  our  spirit,  we  shall  not  be  under 
the  influence  of  a  selfish  spirit,  but  shall  be 
unselfish  in  principle,  and  heart,  and  life. 

In  the  aj^plication  of  this  subject,  the  great 
use  I  would  make  of  it,  is,  to  dissuade  all  from 
a  selfish  spirit  and  lyractiGe^  and  to  exhort  all 
to  seeh  that  spirit^  and  live  that  life^  vihich 
shall  he  contrary  to  it.  Seek,  that  by  divine 
love,  your  heart  may  be  devoted  to  God  and 
to  his  glory,  and  to  loving  your  neighbor  as 
yourself,  or  rather  as  Christ  has  loved  you. 
Do  not  seek,  every  one  your  own  things,  but 
every  one,  also,  the  things  of  others.  And 
that  you  may  be  stirred  up  to  this,  in  addition 
to  the  motives  already  presented,  consider 
three  things, 

First^  That  you  are  not  your  own. — As  you 
have  not  made  yourself,  so  you  were  not  made 
for  yourself.  You  are  neither  the  author^  nor 
the  end  of  your  own  being.  ISTor  is  it  you 
that  uphold  yourself  in  being ;  or  that  provide 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.        261 


for  yourself ;  or  that  are  dependent  on  your- 
self. There  is  another  that  hath  made  you, 
and  preserves  you,  and  provides  for  you,  and 
on  whom  you  are  dependent :  and  He  hath 
made  you  for  himself,  and  for  the  good  of 
your  fellow-creatures,  and  not  only  for  your- 
self. He  has  placed  before  you  higher  and 
nobler  ends  than  self,  even  the  welfare  of 
your  fellow-men,  and  of  society,  and  the  in- 
terests of  his  kingdom ;  and  for  these  you 
ought  to  labor  and  live,  not  only  in  time,  but 
for  eternity. 

And  if  you  are  Christians,  as  many  of  you 
profess  to  be,  then,  in  a  peculiar  sense,  "  ye 
are  not  your  own,  for  ye  are  bought  with  a 
price,"  even  "  with  the  precious  blood  of 
Christ,"  1  Cor.  vi.  19,  20  ;  and  1  Peter  i.  19. 
And  this  is  urged  as  an  argument  why  Chris- 
tians should  not  seek  themselves,  but  the  glory 
of  God;  for  the  apostle  adds,  "Therefore 
glorify  God  in  your  body,  and  in  your  spirit, 
"which  are  God's."  By  nature  you  were  in  a 
miserable,  lost  condition,  a  captive  in  the 
hands  of  divine  justice,  and  a  miserable  slave 
in  the  bondage  of  sin  and  Satan.  And  Christ 
has  redeemed  you,  and  so  you  are  his  by  pur- 
chase. By  a  most  just  title  you  belong  to 
18 


THE   SPIRIT    OF   CHARITY 

him,  and  not  to  yourself.  And,  therefore,  you 
must  not,  henceforth,  treat  yourself  as  your 
own,  by  seeking  your  own  interests  or  pleasure, 
only,  or  even  chiefly ;  for  if  you  do  so,  you 
will  be  guilty  of  robbing  Christ.  And  as  you 
are  not  your  own,  so  nothing  that  you  have  ia 
your  own.  Your  abilities  of  body  and  mind, 
your  outward  possessions,  your  time,  talents, 
influence,  comforts,  none  of  them  are  your 
own ;  nor  have  you  any  right  to  use  them  as 
if  you  had  an  absolute  property  in  them,  as 
you  will  be  likely  to  do  if  you  imagine  them 
only  for  your  own  private  benefit,  and  not  for 
the  honor  of  Christ,  and  for  the  good  of  your 
fellow-men.     Consider, 

Second^  How  you^  hj  ijoitr  very  j^rofession  as 
a  Christian^  are  united  to  Christy  and  to  your 
fellow- Christians. — Christ,  and  all  Christians, 
are  so  united  together,  that  they  all  make  but 
one  body ;  and  of  this  body,  Christ  is  the 
head,  and  Christians  are  the  members.  "  We 
being  many,"  says  the  apostle,  "  are-one  body 
in  Christ,  and  every  one  members,  one  of 
another,"  Rom.  xii.  5 ;  and  again,  "  By  one 
spirit,  are  we  all  baptized  into  one  body, 
whether  we  be  Jews  or  Gentiles,  whether  we 
be  bond  or  free,"  1  Cor.  xii.  13.     How  un- 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    SELFISH    SPIRIT.        263 


becoming,  then,  is  it  in  Christians  to  be  sel- 
fish, and  concerned  only  for  their  own  private 
interests.  In  the  natural  body,  the  hand  is 
ready  to  serve  the  head,  and  all  the  members 
are  ready  to  serve  one  another.  Is  wliat  the 
hands  do,  done  only  for  their  own  advantage  ? 
Are  they  not  continually  employed  as  much 
for  the  other  parts  of  the  body,  as  for  them- 
selves ?  Is  not  the  work  they  are  doing  from 
day  to  day,  for  the  common  good  of  the  whole 
body?  And  so  it  may  be  said  as  to  the  eye, 
the  teeth,  the  feet,  that  they  are  all  emj^loyed, 
not  for  themselves,  or  for  their  own  limited 
and  partial  welfare,  but  for  the  common  com- 
fort and  good  of  the  whole  body.  And  if  the 
head  be  dishonored,  are  not  all  the  members 
of  the  body  at  once  em2:)loyed  and  active  to 
remove  the  dishonor,  and  to  put  honor  upon 
the  head  ?  And  if  any  members  of  the  body 
are  wounded,  and  languishing,  and  in  pain, 
are  not  all  the  members  of  the  body  at  once 
engaged  to  screen  that  weak  or  suffering  mem- 
ber ?  Are  not  the  eyes  employed  in  looking 
about  for  it,  and  the  ears  in  attending  to  the 
directions  of  physicians,  and  the  feet  in  going 
where  relief  is  to  be  sought,  and  the  hands  in 
ap23lying  the  remedies  provided  ?     So  it  should 


THE   SPIRIT    OF   CHARITY 

be  with  the  Christian  body.  All  its  members 
should  be  helpers,  and  comforts  to  each  other, 
and  thus  promote  their  mutual  welfare  and 
happiness,  and  the  glorj  of  Christ,  the  head. 
Once  more,  consider. 

Third,,  That  in  seeking  the  glwy  of  God 
and  the  good  of  youT  fellow-creatures^  you 
talce  the  surest  way  to  have  God  seek  your  in- 
terests^ and  promote  your  loelfare. — If  you 
will  devote  yourself  to  God,  as  making  a 
sacrifice  of  all  your  own  interests  to  him,  you 
wdll  not  throw  yourself  away.  Though  you 
seem  to  neglect  yourself,  and  to  deny  yourself, 
and  to  overlook  self  in  imitating  the  divine 
benevolence,  God  %o ill  take  care  of  you  ;  and 
he  will  see  to  it  that  your  interest  is  provided 
for,  and  your  welfare  made  sure  I  You  shall 
be  no  loser  by  all  the  sacrifices  you  have  made 
for  him.  To  his  glory  be  it  said,  he  will  not 
be  your  debtor,  but  will  requite  you  an  hun- 
dred-fold even  in  this  life,  beside  the  eternal 
rewards  that  he  will  bestow  upon  you  here- 
after. His  own  declaration  is,  "  Every  one 
that  hath  forsaken  houses,  or  brethren,  or  sis- 
ters, or  father,  or  mother,  or  wife,  or  children, 
or  lands  fur  my  name's  sake,  shall  receive 
an  hundred-fold"  (the  other  evangelist  adds, 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   SELFISH   SPIPJT.        265 


"  in  this  present  time"),  "  and  shall  inherit 
everlasting  life,"  Matt.  xix.  29  ;  and  the  spirit 
of  this  declaration  applies  to  all  sacrifices 
made  for  Christ,  or  for  om'  fellow-men  for  his 
sake.  The  greatness  of  the  reward  for  this 
life,  Christ  expresses  bj  a  definite  number ; 
but  he  does  not  make  use  of  numbers,  how- 
ever great,  to  set  forth  the  reward  promised 
them  hereafter.  He  only  saj'S,  tliey  shall 
receive  everlasting  life,  because  the  reward  is 
so  great,  and  so  much  exceeds  all  the  expense 
and  self-denial  persons  can  be  at  for  Christ's 
sake,  that  no  numbers  are  sufficient  to  de- 
scribe it. 

If  you  are  selfish,  and  make  yourself  and 
your  own  private  interests  your  idol,  God  will 
leave  you  to  yourself,  and  let  you  promote 
your  own  interests  as  well  as  you  can.  But 
if  you  do  not  selfishly  seek  your  own,  but  do 
seek  the  things  that  are  Jesus  Christ's,  and 
the  things  of  your  fellow-beings,  then  God  will 
make  your  interest  and  happiness  his  own 
charge,  and  he  is  infinitely  more  able  to  pro- 
vide for,  and  promote  it,  than  you  are.  The 
resources  of  tlie  universe  move  at  his  bidding, 
and  he  can  easily  command  them  all  to  sub- 
serve your  welfare.     So  that  not  to  seek  your 


266  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAMTY 


own,  in  the  selfish  sense,  is  the  best  way  of 
seeking  your  own  in  a  better  sense.  It  is  tho 
directest  course  you  can  take  to  secure  your 
higliest  happiness.  When  you  are  required 
not  to  be  selfish,  you  are  not  required,  as  has 
been  observed,  not  to  love  and  seek  your  own 
happiness,  but  only  not  to  seek  mainly  your 
own  private  and  confined  interests.  But  if 
you  place  your  happiness  in  God,  in  glorifying 
him,  and  in  serving  him  by  doing  good,  in 
this  way,  above  all  others,  will  you  promote 
your  wealth,  and  honor,  and  pleasure  here 
below,  and  obtain  hereafter  a  crown  of  un- 
fading glory,  and  pleasures  for  evermore  at 
God's  right  hand.  If  you  seek,  in  the  spirit 
of  selfishness,  to  grasp  all  as  your  own,  you 
shall  lose  all,  and  be  driven  out  of  the  world, 
at  last,  naked  and  forlorn,  to  everlasting  pov- 
erty and  contempt.  But  if  you  seek  not  your 
own,  but  the  things  of  Christ,  and  the  good 
of  your  fellow-men,  God  himself  will  be  yours, 
and  Christ  yours,  and  the  Holy  Spirit  youre, 
and  all  things  yours.  Yes,  ''  all  things"  shall 
be  yours,  whether  Paul,  or  Apollos,  or  Cephas, 
or  the  world,  or  life,  or  death,  or  things  i^resent, 
or  things  to  come  ;  all  are  yours ;  and  ye  are 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   SELFISH   SPIRIT.       267 


Christ's ;    and   Christ    is    God's,   1   Cor.   iii. 
21,  22. 

Let  these  things,  then,  incline  us  all  to  be 
less  selfish  than  we  are,  and  to  seek  more  of 
the  contrary  most  excellent  spirit.  Selfishness 
is  a  principle  native  to  us,  and,  indeed,  all  the 
corruption  of  our  nature  does  radically  consist 
in  it ;  but  considering  the  knowledge  that  we 
have  of  Christianity,  and  how  numerous  and 
powerful  the  motives  it  presents,  we  ought  to 
be  far  less  selfish  than  we  are,  and  less  ready 
to  seek  our  own  interests  and  these  only. 
How  much  is  there  of  this  evil  spirit,  and  how 
little  of  that  excellent,  noble,  diffusive  spirit 
which  has  now  been  set  before  us.  But  what- 
ever the  cause  of  this,  whether  it  arise  fi*om 
our  having  too  narrow  notions  of  Christianity, 
and  from  our  not  having  learned  Christ  as  we 
ought  to  have  done,  or  from  the  habits  cf 
selfishness  handed  down  to  us  from  our  fathers, 
whatever  the  cause  be,  let  us  strive  to  over- 
come it,  that  we  may  grow  in  the  grace  of  an 
unselfish  spirit,  and  thus  glorify  God,  and  do 
good  to  men. 


LECTUEE  IX. 

THE   SPIRIT   OF    CHARITY   THE   OPPOSITE   CF   AH 
ANGRY    OR    WRATHFUL    SPIRIT. 

"Is  not  easily  provoked." — 1  Cokinthians  xiii.  5. 

Having  declared  that  charity  is  contrary  to 
the  two  great  cardinal  vices  of  pride  and  sel- 
fishness, those  deep  and  ever-flowing  fountains 
of  sin  and  wickedness  in  the  heart,  the  Apos- 
tle next  proceeds  to  show,  that  it  is  also  con- 
trary to  two  things  that  are  commonly  the 
fruits  of  this  pride  and  selfishness,  viz.  :  an 
angry  spirit,  and  a  censorious  spirit.  To  the 
first  of  these  points,  I  would  now  turn  your 
attention,  viz.  :  that  charity  "  is  not  easily 
provoked.''''  The  doctrine  here  set  before 
us,  is, 

That  the  spirit  of  charity,  or  Christian 

LOVE,    (S  THE  opposite   OF    AN    ANGRY  OR  WRATU- 

FI7X-  sr.TRiT  OR  DISPOSITION. — In  Speaking  to  this 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAEITT.  269 


doctrine,  I  would  inquire,  first,  in  what  con- 
sists that  angry  spirit  or  temper  to  which  a 
Christian  spirit  is  contrary ;  and  next,  give  the 
reason  why  a  Christian  S2:>irit  is  contrary  to  it. 

I.  What  is  that  angry  or  lorathful  spirit^  to 
which  charity^  or  a  Christian  spirit^  is  con- 
trary.— It  is  not  all  manner  of  anger  that 
Christianity  is  opposite  and  contrary  to.  It 
is  said  in  Ephesians  iv.  26,  "  Be  ye  angry, 
and  sin  not,"  which  seems  to  suppose  that 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  anger  without  sin,  or 
that  it  is  possible  to  be  angry  in  some  cases, 
and  yet  not  ofi*end  God.  And  therefore  it 
may  be  answered,  in  a  single  word,  that  a 
Christian  spirit,  or  the  spirit  of  charity,  is  op- 
posite to  all  undue  and  unsuitable  anger. 
But  anger  may  be  undue  or  unsuitable  in  four 
respects ;  in  its  nature,  its  occasion,  its  end, 
and  its  measure.     And, 

1.  Anger  may  he  icndiie  and  unsuitable  in  re- 
spect to  its  nature. — Anger  may  be  defined  to 
be,  an  earnest,  and  more  or  less  violent  opposi- 
tion of  spirit  against  any  real  or  su  pposed  evil, 
or  in  view  of  any  fault  or  offence  of  another. 
All  anger  is  opposition  of  the  mind  against 
real  or  supposed  evil ;  but  it  is  not  all  opposi- 
tion of  the  mind  against  evil,  that  is  properly 


270  THE   SPIRIT    OF   CHAEITY 


called  anger.  There  is  an  opposition  of  the 
judgment  J  that  is  not  anger ;  for  anger  is  the 
opposition,  not  of  the  cool  judgment,  but  of 
the  spirit  of  the  man,  that  is,  of  his  disposition 
or  heart.  But  here,  again,  it  is  not  all  oppo- 
sition of  the  spirit  against  evil,  that  can  be 
called  anger.  There  is  an  opposition  of  the 
spirit  against  natural  evil  that  we  suffer,  as  in 
grief  and  sorrow  for  instance,  which  is  a  very 
different  thing  from  anger  ;  and  in  distinction 
from  this,  anger  is  opposition  to  inoral  evil,  or 
evil  real  or  supposed  in  voluntary  agents,  or 
at  least  in  agents  that  are  conceived  to  be 
voluntary,  or  acting  by  their  own  will,  and 
against  such  evil  as  is  supposed  to  be  their 
fault.  But  yet  again,  it  is  not  all  opposition 
of  spirit  against  evil  or  faultiness  in  voluntary 
agents,  that  is  anger ;  for  there  may  be  a  dis- 
like, without  the  spirit  being  excited  and  an- 
gry ;  and  such  dislike  is  an  opposition  of  the 
will  and  judgment,  and  not  always  of  the 
feelings,  and  in  order  to  anger,  the  latter 
nmst  be  moved.  In  all  anger  there  must  be 
earnestness  and  opposition  of  feeling,  and  the 
spirit  must  be  moved  and  stirred  wdthin  us. 
Anger  is  one  of  the  passions  or  afi^ections  of 
the  soul,  though  when  called  an  affection,  it 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    AN    ANGRY    SPIRIT.       271 


18,  for  the  most  part,  to  be  regarded  as  an  evil 
affection. 

Such  being  the  nature  of  anger  in  general, 
it  may  now  be  shown  wherein  anger  is  undue 
or  unsuitable  in  its  nature.  And  this  is  the 
case  with  all  anger  that  contains  ill-will,  or  a 
desire  of  revenge.  Some  have  defined  anger 
to  be  a  desire  of  revenge.  But  this  cannot  be 
considered  a  just  definition  of  anger  in  gene- 
ral ;  for  if  so,  there  would  be  no  anger  that 
would  not  imply  ill-will,  and  the  desire  that 
some  other  might  be  injured.  But  doubtless 
there  is  such  a  thing  as  anger  that  is  consist- 
ent with  good-will ;  for  a  father  may  be  angry 
with  his  child,  that  is,  he  may  find  in  himself 
an  earnestness  and  opposition  of  spirit  to  the 
bad  conduct  of  his  child,  and  his  spirit  may 
be  engaged  and  stirred  in  opposition  to  that 
conduct,  and  to  his  child  while  continuing  in 
it ;  and  yet,  at  the  same  time,  he  will  not  have 
any  proper  ill-will  to  the  child,  but  on  the 
contrary,  a  real  good-will ;  and  so  far  from 
desiring  its  injury,  he  may  have  the  very 
highest  desire  for  its  true  welfare,  and  his 
very  anger  be  but  his  opposition  to  that 
which  he  thinks  will  be  of  injury  to  it.  And 
this  shows,  that  anger,  in  its  general  nature, 


272  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


rather  consists  in  the  opposition  of  the  spirit 
to  evil,  than  in  a  desire  of  revenge. 

If  the  nature  of  anger  in  general  consisted 
in  ill-will  and  a  desire  of  revenge,  no  anger 
would  be  lawful  in  any  case  whatever ;  for  w^e 
are  not  allowed  to  entertain  ill-will  toward 
others  in  any  case,  but  are  to  have  good- will 
to  all.  We  are  re(|uired  by  Christ  to  wish 
well  to,  and  pray  for  the  pros})erity  of  all, 
even  our  enemies,  and  those  that  despitefully 
use  us  and  persecute  us,  Matt.  v.  44 ;  and  the 
rule  given  by  the  Apostle  is,  "  Bless  them 
which  persecute  you:  bless  and  curse  not," 
Rom.  xii.  14;  that  is,  we  are  ojily  to  wish 
good,  and  pray  for  good  to  others,  and  in  no 
case  to  wdsh  evil.  And  so  all  revenge  is  for- 
bidden, if  we  except  the  vengeance  which 
public  justice  takes  on  the  transgressor,  in  in- 
flicting which  men  act  not  for  tlieniselves,  but 
for  God.  The  rule  is,  "  Thou  shalt  not  avenge, 
nor  bear  any  grudge  against  the  cluldren  of 
thy  people,  but  tliou  shalt  love  thy  neighbor 
as  thyself.  I  am  the  Lord,"  Leviticus  xix. 
18;  and  says  the  Apostle,  "Dearly  beloved, 
avenge  not  yoursiilves,  but  ratlier  give  [)laee 
unto  wrath ;  for  it  is  written,  Yengeance  is 
mine,  I  will  repay,  saith  the  Lord,"  Romans 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   AN   ANGEY   SPIRIT.       273 


xii.  19.  So  that  all  the  anger  that  contains 
ill-will  or  a  desire  of  revenge,  is  what  Chris- 
tianity is  contrary  to,  and  by  the  most  fearful 
sanctions  forbids.  Sometimes  anger,  as  it  is 
spoken  of  in  the  Scripture,  is  meant  only  in 
the  worst  sense,  or  in  that  sense  of  it  which  im- 
plies ill-will,  and  the  desire  of  revenge  ;  and 
in  ^his  sense,  all  anger  is  forbidden,  as  in 
Ephesians  iv.  31,  "Let  all  bitterness,  and 
wrath,  and  anger,  and  clamor,  and  evil-speak- 
ing, be  put  away  from  you,  with  all  malice ;" 
and  again  in  Colossians  iii.  8,  "  But  now  ye, 
also,  put  off  all  these  ;  anger,  wrath,  malice, 
blaspheni}-,  filthy  communication  out  of  your 
moutli."  Thus  anger  may  be  irregular  and 
einful  with  resj^ect  to  its  nature.     And  so, 

2.  Aiiger  may  he  unsuitable  and  ttnchristian 
in  resjpect  to  its  occasion. — And  such  unsuita- 
bleiiess  consists  in  its  being  without  any  just 
cause.  Of  this  Christ  speaks  when  he  says, 
"  Whosoever  is  angry  with  his  brother,  with- 
out a  cause,  shall  be  in  danger  of  the  judg- 
ment," Matt.  V.  22.  And  this  may  be  the 
case  in  three  ways : — 

Vlrst^  When  the  occasion  of  anger  is  that, 
which  is  no  fault  at  all  in  thejperson  that  is  its 
olject.     This   is   not   unfrequently   the   case. 


274  THE   SPIRIT   OF    CHARITY 


Many  persons  are  of  such  a  proud  and  peevish 
disposition,  that  they  will  be  angry  at  any- 
thing that  is  in  any  respect  against  them,  or 
troublesome  to  them,  or  contrary  to  their 
wishes,  w^hether  anybody  be  to  blame  for  it 
or  not.  And  so,  sometimes,  men  are  angry 
with  others  for  those  things  that  are  not  from 
their  fault,  but  which  happen  merely  through 
their  involuntary  ignorance,  or  through  their 
impotence.  They  are  angry  that  they  have 
not  done  better,  when  the  only  cause  was, 
that  the  circumstances  were  such  that  they 
could  not  do  otherwise  than  they  did.  And 
oftentimes  persons  are  angry  with  others,  not 
only  for  that  which  is  no  fault  in  them,  but 
for  that  which  is  really  good,  and  for  which 
they  ought  to  be  praised.  So  it  always  is 
when  men  are  angry  at  God,  and  fret  at  his 
providence  and  its  dispensations  toward  them. 
Tlius  to  be  fretful,  and  im]3atient,  and  to  mur- 
mur against  God's  dealings,  is  a  most  horri- 
bly wicked  kind  of  anger.  And  yet  this  very 
often  is  the  case  in  this  wicked  world.  This 
is  what  the  wicked  Israelites  were  so  often 
guilty  of,  and  for  which  so  niany  of  them 
were  overthrown  in  the  wilderness  ;  and  this 
was  what  Jonah,  though   a   good  man,  waa 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    AN    ANGRY    SPIRIT.       275 


guilty  of  when  he  was  angry  with  God  with- 
out a  cause — angry  for  that  for  which  he 
should  have  praised  God,  viz.  :  his  great  mercy 
to  the  Ninevites.  Oftentimes,  also,  persons' 
spirits  are  kept  very  much  in  a  fret,  by  reason 
of  things  going  contrary  to  them,  and  their 
meeting  with  crosses,  and  disaj^pointments, 
and  entanglements  in  their  business,  when 
they  will  not  own  that  it  is  God  they  fret  at 
and  are  angry  with,  and  do  not  even  seem  to 
be  convinced  of  it  themselves.  But,  indeed, 
such  fretfulness  can  be  interpreted  no  other 
way  ;  and  whatever  they  may  pretend,  it  is 
ultimately  aimed  against  the  author  of  provi- 
dence— against  the  God  who  orders  these 
cross  events,  so  that  it  is  a  murmuring  and 
fretting  against  Him. 

And  it  is  a  common  thing,  again,  for  per- 
sons to  be  angry  with  others,  for  their  doing 
well,  and  that  which  is  only  their  duty.  There 
never  was  so  much  bitterness  and  fierceness 
of  anger  among  men,  one  to  another,  and  so 
much  hostility  and  malice,  for  any  one  thing, 
as  there  has  been  for  well-doing.  History 
gives  no  accounts  of  any  such  cruelties  as 
thos«  practised  toward  God's  people  on  ac- 
count of  their  prof(3Ssion  and  practice  of  re- 


276  THE   SPIRIT   OF    CHARITY 


Hgion.  And  liow  annoyed  were  the  scribes 
ana  Pharisees  with  Christ,  for  doing  the  will 
of  his  Father  in  what  he  did  and  said  while 
on«eartli !  When  men  are  angry  with  others, 
or  with  civil  or  ecclesiastical  authorities,  for 
proceeding  regularly  against  them  for  their 
errors  or  sins,  tliey  are  angry  with  them  for 
well-doing.  And  tliis  is  the  case  when  they 
are  angry  with  their  neighbors  or  brethren  in 
the  church  fur  bearing  a  due  testimony 
agaiiist  them,  and  endeavoring  to  bring  them 
to  justice  when  tlie  case  re<pires  it.  Often 
men  are  angry  with  otliers  not  only  for  well- 
doing, but  for  doing  tliose  things  that  are 
acts  of  friendship  to  tliem,  as  when  we  are 
angry  with  others  for  administering  Christian 
reproof  for  anytliing  they  observe  in  us  that 
is  wrong.  This  the  Psalmist  said  he  should 
accept  as  a  kindness,  "  Let  the  righteous  smite 
me,  it  shall  be  a  kindness  ;"  but  such  as  are 
angry  with  it,  foolislily  and  sinfully  take  it 
as  an  injury.  In  all  tliese  tilings,  out  anger 
is  undue  and  unreasonable  with  regard  to  its 
occasion,  when  that  occasion  is  no  fault  of  the 
one  with  whom  we  are  angry.     And  so, 

Second^  Anger  is  unsuitable  and  unchris- 
tian as  to  its  occasion,  when  lyersoiis  are  angi^ 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    AN    ANGRY    SPIRIT.       277 


upon  small  and  trivial  occasions^  and  wlien 
though  there  be  something  of  blame,  yet  the 
fault  is  very  small,  and  such  as  is  not  worth 
our  being  stirred  and  engaged  about.  God 
does  not  call  us  to  have  our  spirits  ceaselessly 
engaged  in  opposition,  and  stirred  up  in  an- 
ger, unless  it  be  on  some  important  occasions. 
He  that  is  angry  at  every  little  fault  he  may 
see  in  others,  is  certainly  one  with  whom  it  is 
otherwise  than  is  expressed  in  the  text.  Of 
him  that  is  provoked  at  every  little,  trifling 
thing,  it  surely  cannot  be  said,  that  he  is  "not 
easily  provoked."  Some  are  of  such  an  an- 
gry, fretful  spirit,  that  they  are  put  out  of 
humor  by  every  little  thing,  and  by  things  in 
others,  in  tlie  family,  or  in  society,  or  in  busi- 
ness, that  are  no  greater  faults  than  they 
themselves  are  guilty  of  every  day.  Those 
that  will  thus  be  angry  at  every  fault  they  see 
in  others,  will  Ije  sure  to  be  always  kept  in  a 
fret,  and  their  minds  will  never  be  composed; 
for  it  cannot  be  expected  in  this  world  but 
that  we  shall  conthiually  be  seeing  faults  in 
others,  as  there  are  continually  faults  in  our- 
selves. And  therefore  it  is,  that  Christians 
are  directed  to  be  "  slow  to  speak  and  slow 
to  wratli,"  James  i.  19  ;  and  that  it  is  said, 
19 


278  THE   SPIKIT   OF   CIIAIilTY 


that  "  He  that  is  soon  angry,  dealeth  foolish 
ly."  He  that  diligently  guards  his  own  spirit, 
will  not  be  very  frequently  or  easily  angry. 
He  wisely  keeps  his  mind  in  a  calm,  clear 
frame,  and  does  not  suffer  it  to  be  stirred 
with  anger,  except  on  extraordinary  occasions, 
and  those  that  do  especially  call  for  it.  And 
again, 

Thirds  Anger  may  be  unsuitable  and  un- 
christian in  its  occasion,  when  out  sjpirits  are 
stirred  at  the  faults  of  others  chiefly  as  they 
affect  ourselves^  and  not  as  they  are  against 
God.  We  should  never  be  angry  but  at  sin, 
and  this  should  always  be  that  which  we  op- 
pose in  our  anger.  And  w^hen  our  spirits  are 
stirred  to  oppose  this  evil,  it  should  l)e  as  sin, 
or  chiefly  as  it  is  against  God.  If  there  be  no 
sin  and  no  fault,  then  we  have  no  cause  to  be 
angry ;  and  if  there  be  a  fault  or  sin,  then  it 
is  infinitely  worse  as  against  God,  than  it  is  as 
against  us,  and  therefore  it  requires  the  most 
opposition  on  that  account.  Persons  sin  in 
their  anger,  w^hen  they  are  selfish  in  it,  for  we 
are  not  to  act  as  if  w-e  were  our  own,  or  for  our- 
selves simply,  since  we  belong  to  God,  and 
not  to  ourselves.  When  a  fault  is  commit* 
ted  wherein  God  is  sinned  against,  and  per- 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   AN   ANGRY   SPIRIT.       279 


sons  are  injured  by  it,  they  should  be  chiefly 
concerned,  and  their  spirits  chiefly  moved 
against  it  because  it  is  against  God  ;  for 
they  should  be  more  solicitous  for  God's 
honor,  than  for  their  own  temporal  inter- 
ests. All  anger,  as  to  occasion,  is  either  a 
virtue  or  a  vice,  for  there  is  no  middle  sort 
that  is  neither  good  nor  bad;  but  there  is  no 
virtue  or  goodness  in  opposing  sin,  unless  it 
be  opposed  as  sin.  The  anger  that  is  virtuous, 
is  the  same  thing  which,  in  one  form,  is  called 
zeal.  Our  anger  should  be  like  Christ's  an- 
ger, lie  was  like  a  lamb  under  the  greatest 
personal  injuries,  and  we  never  read  of  his 
being  angry  but  in  the  cause  of  God  against 
sin  as  sin.  And  this  should  be  the  case  with 
us.  And  as  anger  may,  'in  these  three  ways, 
be  unsuitable  and  unchristian  with  respect  to 
the  occasion  or  cause  of  it,  so, 

3.  It  may  he  undue  and  sinful  with  resjpect 
to  its  end. — And  this  in  two  particulars : — 

First^  When  we  are  angry  loithout  cori- 
siderately  lyroposing  any  end  to  be  gained  by 
it.  In  this  way  it  is,  that  anger  is  rash  and 
inconsiderate,  and  that  it  is  sufl^ered  to  rise, 
and  be  continued,  without  any  consideration 
or  motive.     'Reason  has  no  hand  in  the  matter ; 


280  THE    SPIEIT   OF    CHAEITY 


but  the  passions  go  before  the  reason,  and 
anger  is  suiFerecl  to  rise  before  even  a  thonglit 
lias  been  given  to  the  questio::,  '*  of  what  ad- 
vantage or  benefit  will  it  be,  either  to  me  or 
others  ?"  Such  anger  is  not  the  anger  of  men, 
bat  the  blind  passion  of  beasts :  it  is  a  kind 
of  beastlj  fury,  ratlier  than  the  aftection  of  a 
rational  creature.  All  things  in  the  soul  of 
man  should  be  under  the  goveiTiment  of  reason, 
which  is  the  highest  faculty  of  our  being  ;  and 
every  other  faculty  and  principle  in  the  soul 
should  be  governed  and  directed  b}^  that  to 
its  proper  end.  And,  therefore,  when  our 
anger  is  of  this  kind,  it  is  unchristian  and  sin- 
ful.    And  so  it  is. 

Second^  "When  we  allow  ourselves  to  be 
angry  for  any  wrong  end.  Though  reason 
would  tell  us  with  regard  to  our  anger,  that  it 
cannot  be  for  the  glory  of  God,  or  of  any  real 
benefit  to  ourselves,  but  on  the  other  hand, 
mnch  to  the  mischief  of  ourselves  or  others, 
yet  because  w^e  have  in  view  the  gratification 
of  our  own  pride,  or  the  extension  of  our  in- 
fluence, or  getting  in  some  way  superiority  to 
others,  we  allow  anger  as  aiding  to  gain  these 
or  other  ends,  and  thus  indulge  a  sinful  spirit. 
And  lastly, 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    AN    ANGKY   SPIRIT.       281 


4.  Anger  may  he  ansuitahle  and  unchristian 
with  respect  to  its  measure. — And  this,  again, 
in  two  particulars,  as  to  the  measure  of  its 
degree,  and  the  measure  of  its  continua,nce. 
And, 

Firsts  When  it  is  immoderate  in  degree. 
Anger  may  be  far  beyond  what  the  case  re- 
quires. And  often  it  is  so  great  as  to  put 
persons  beyond  the  control  of  themselves,  their 
passions  being  so  violent  that,  for  the  time, 
they  know  not  what  they  do,  and  seem  to  be 
unable  to  direct  and  regulate  either  their  feel- 
ings or  conduct.  Sometimes  men's  passions 
rise  so  high  that  they  are,  as  it  were,  drunk 
with  them,  so  that  their  reason  is  gone,  and 
they  act  as  if  beside  themselves.  But  the 
degree  of  anger  ought  always  to  be  regulated 
by  the  end  of  it,  and  it  should  never  be  suftered 
to  rise  any  higher  than  so  far  as  tends  to  the 
obtaining  of  the  good  ends  which  reason  has 
proposed.  And  anger  is,  also,  beyond  meas- 
ure, and  thus  sinful, 

Second^  When  it  is  immoderate  in  its  con- 
tinuance. It  is  a  very  sinful  thing  for  persons 
to  be  long  angry.  The  wise  man  not  only 
gives  us  the  injunction,  "  Be  not  hasty  in  thy 
Bpirit  to  be  angry,"  but  he  adds,  that  "  Anger 


282  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHABITY 


resteth  in  the  bosom  of  fools,"  Ecc.  vii.  9; 
and  says  the  Apostle,  "  Be  ye  angry,  and  sin 
not ;  let  not  the  snn  go  down  upon  your 
wrath,"  Eph.  iv.  26.  If  anger  be  long  con- 
tinned,  it  soon  degenerates  into  malice,  for 
the  leaven  of  evil  spreads  faster  than  the 
leaven  of  good.  If  a  person  allows  himself 
long  to  hold  anger  towards  another,  he  will 
quickly  come  to  hate  him.  And  so  we  find 
that  it  actually  is  among  those  that  retain  a 
grudge  in  their  hearts  against  others  for  week 
after  week,  and  month  after  month,  and  year 
after  year.  They  do,  in  the  end,  truly  hate 
the  persons  against  whom  they  thus  lay  up 
anger,  whether  they  own  it  or  not.  And  this 
is  a  most  dreadful  sin  in  the  sight  of  God. 
All,  therefore,  should  be  exceedingly  careful 
how  they  sutler  anger  long  to  continue  in  their 
hearts. 

Having  thus  shown  what  is  that  angry  or 
wrathful  spirit,  to  which  charity  or  a  Christian 
spirit  is  contrary,  I  pass,  as  proposed,  to  show, 

11.  How  charity^  or  a  Christian  spirit^  is 
contrary  to  it.  And  this  I  would  do  by  show- 
ing, first,  that  charitj  or  love,  which  is  tho 
sum  of  the  Christian  spirit,  is  directly,  and  in 
itself,  conti-ary  to  the  anger  that  is  sinlui  ' 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF    AN    ANGRY   SPIRIT.       283 


and  secondly,  that  the  fruits  of  charity  which 
are  mentioned  in  the  context,  are  all  contrary 
to  it.     And, 

1.  Christian  charity  or  love^  is  directly^  and 
in  itself^  contrary  to  all  undue  anger. — Chris- 
tian love  is  contrary  to  anger  which  is  undue 
in  its  nature,  and  that  tends  to  revenge,  and 
so  implies  ill-will,  for  the  nature  of  love  is 
good-will.  It  tends  to  prevent  persons  from 
being  angry  without  just  cause,  and  will  be 
far  from  disposing  any  one  to  be  angry  for  but 
little  faults.  Love  is  backward  to  anger,  and 
will  not  yield  to  it  on  trivial  occasions,  mucii 
less  where  there  is  no  cause  for  being  angry. 
It  is  a  malignant  and  evil,  and  not  a  loving 
spirit,  that  disposes  persons  to  be  angry  with- 
out  cause.  Love  to  God  is  opposite  to  a  dis- 
position in  men  to  be  angry  at  other's  faults, 
chiefly  as  they  themselves  are  olfended  and 
injured  by  them:  it  rather  disposes  them  to 
look  at  them  chiefly  as  committed  against 
God.  If  love  be  in  exercise,  it  will  tend  to 
keep  down  the  irascible  passions,  and  hold 
them  in  subjection,  so  that  reason  and  the 
spirit  of  love  may  regulate  them  and  keep 
them  from  being  immoderate  in  degree  or  of 
long  continuance.     And  not  only  is  charity, 


284  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CnAKFTY 


or  Christian  love,  directly,  and  in  itself,  con- 
trary to  all  undue  anger,  but, 

2.  All  the  fruits  of  this  charity  which  are 
mentioned  in  the  context^  are  also  contrary  to 
it. — 'And  I  shall  mention  only  two  of  these 
fruits,  as  they  may  stand  for  all,  viz. :  those 
virtues  that  are  contrary  to  pride  and  selfish- 
ness.    And, 

F'irst^  Love  or  charity  is  contrary  to  all 
undue  and  sinful  anger,  as,  in  itsfrmts^  it  is 
contrary  to  irride.  Pride  is  one  chief  cause 
of  undue  anger.  It  is  because  men  are  proud, 
and  exalt  themselves  in  their  own  hearts,  that 
they  are  revengeful,  and  are  apt  to  be  excited, 
and  to  make  great  things  out  of  little  ones 
that  may  be  against  themselves.  Yea,  they 
even  treat  as  vices  things  that  are  in  them- 
selves virtues,  when  they  think  their  honor  is 
touched,  or  when  their  will  is  crossed.  And 
it  is  pride  that  makes  men  so  unreasonable 
and  rash  in  their  anger,  and  raises  it  to  such 
a  high  degree,  and  continues  it  so  long,  and 
often  keeps  it  up  in  the  form  of  habitual 
malice.  But,  as  we  have  already  seen,  love 
or  Christian  charity  is  utterly  opposed  to 
pride.     And  so, 

St'condly^  Lo\e  or  charity  is  contrary  to  all 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   AN    ANGRY   SPIRIT.       285 


sinful  anger,  as,  in  its  fruits^  it  is  contraiy  to 
selfishness.  It  is  because  men  are  selfish  and 
seek  their  own,  that  they  are  malicious  and 
revengeful  against  all  that  oppose  or  interfere 
with  their  own  interests.  If  men  sought  not 
chiefly  their  own  private  and  selfish  interests, 
but  the  glory  of  God  and  the  common  good, 
then  their  spirit  would  be  a  great  deal  more 
stirred  up  in  God's  cause,  than  in  their  own ; 
and  they  would  not  be  prone  to  hasty,  rash, 
inconsiderate,  immoderate,  and  long- continued 
wrath,  with  any  w^ho  might  have  injured  or 
provoked  them,  but  they  would,  in  a  great 
measure,  forget  themselves  for  God's  sake, 
and  from  their  zeal  for  the  honor  of  Christ. 
The  end  they  would  aim  at,  would  be,  not 
making  themselves  great,  or  getting  their  own 
will,  but  the  glory  of  God,  and  the  good  of 
their  fellow-beings.  But  love,  as  we  have 
seen,  is  opposed  to  all  selfishness. 

In  the  apj)lication  of  this  subject,  let  us  use 

it, 

1.  In  the  way  of  self-examination. — Our 
own  consciences,  if  faithfully  searched  and  im- 
peratively inquired  of,  can  best  tell  us  whether 
we  are,  or  have  been  ]3ersons  of  such  an  angry 
spirit  and  wrathful  disposition  as  ha§  been 


286  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


described;  whetlier  we  are  frequently  angrj, 
or  indulge  in  ill-will,  or  allow  the  continuance 
of  anger.  Have  we  not  often  been  angry  ? 
And  if  so,  is  there  not  reason  to  think  that  that 
anger  has  been  undue,  and  without  just  cause, 
and  thus  sinful?  God  does  not  call  Chris- 
tians into  his  kingdom,  that  they  may  indulge 
greatly  in  fretfulness,  and  to  have  their  minds 
commonly  stirred  up  and  ruffled  with  anger. 
And  has  not  most  of  the  anger  you  have 
cherished  been  chiefly,  if  not  entirely  on  your 
own  account  ?  Men  are  often  wont  to  plead 
zeal  for  religion,  and  for  duty,  and  for  the 
honor  of  God,  as  the  cause  of  their  indignation, 
when  it  is  only  their  own  private  interest  that  is 
concerned  and  affected.  It  is  remarkable  how 
forward  men  are  to  appear  as  if  they  were 
zealous  for  God  and  righteousness,  in  cases 
wherein  their  honor,  or  will,  or  interest  has 
been  touched,  and  to  make  pretence  of  this  in 
injuring  others  or  complaining  of  them  ;  and 
what  a  great  difference  there  is  in  their  con- 
duct in  other  cases,  wherein  God^s  honor  is  as 
much,  or  a  great  deal  more  hurt,  and  their 
own  interest  is  not  specially  concerned.  In 
the  latter  case,  there  is  no  such  appearance 
of  zeal   and   engagedness  of  spirit,  and  no 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    AN    ANGRY    SPIRIT.       287 


forwardness  to  reprove,  and  complain,  and  bo 
angry,  but  often  a  readiness  to  excuse,  and 
leave  reproof  to  others,  and  to  be  cold  and 
backward  in  anything  like  opposition  to  tho 
8  in. 

And  ask,  still  further,  what  good  has  been 
obtained  by  your  anger,  and  what  have  you 
aimed  at  in  it ;  or  have  you  even  thought  of 
these  things  ?  There  has  been  a  great  deal 
of  anger  and  bitterness  in  things  passing  in 
this  town  on  public  occasions,  and  many  of 
you  have  been  present  on  such  occasions ; 
and  such  anger  has  been  manifest  in  your 
conduct;  and  I  fear  rested  in  your  bosoms. 
Examine  yourselves  as  to  this  matter,  and  ask 
what  has  been  the  nature  of  your  anger.  Has 
not  most,  if  not  all  of  it,  been  of  that  undue 
and  unchristian  kind  that  has  been  spoken 
of  ?  Has  it  not  been  of  the  nature  of  ill-will, 
and  malice,  and  bitterness  of  heart ;  an  anger 
arising  from  proud  and  selfish  principles, 
because  your  interest,  or  your  opinion,  or 
your  party  was  touched  ?  Has  not  your  anger 
been  far  from  that  Cliristian  zeal  that  does  not 
disturb  charity,  or  embitter  the  feelings,  or 
lead  to  unkindness  or  revenge  in  the  con- 
duct?    And  how  has  it  been  with  respect  tc 


288  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


your  liolding  anger  ?  Has  not  the  sun  n.ore 
than  once  gone  down  upon  your  wrath,  while 
God  and  your  neighbor  knew  it?  I^ay  more, 
has  it  not  srone  down  as^ain  and  asrain,  throa<2:h 
month  after  month,  and  year  after  year,  while 
winter's  cold  hath  not  chilled  the  heat  of  your 
wrath,  and  the  summer's  sun  hath  not  melted 
you  to  kindness  ?  And  are  there  not  some 
here  present,  that  are  sitting  before  God  with 
anger  laid  up  in  their  hearts,  and  burning 
there?  Or  if  their  anger  is  for  a  time  con- 
cealed from  human  eyes,  is  it  not  like  an  old 
sore  not  thoroughly  healed,  but  so  that  the  least 
touch  renews  the  smart;  or  like  a  smothered 
fire  in  the  heaps  of  autumn  leaves,  which  the 
least  breeze  will  kindle  into  a  flame  ?  And 
how  is  it  in  your  families  ?  Families  are  so- 
cieties the  most  closely  united  of  all ;  and 
their  members  are  in  the  nearest  relation,  and 
under  the  greatest  obligations  to  peace  and 
harmony  and  love.  And  yet  wliat  has  been 
your  spirit  in  the  family  ?  Many  a  time  have 
you  not  been  fretful,  and  angry,  and  impa- 
tient, and  peevish,  and  unkind  to  those  whom 
God  has  made  in  so  great  a  measure  depen- 
dent on  you,  and  who  are  so  easily  made 
happy  or  unhappy  by  what  you  do  or  say — 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF    AN   ANGRY   SPIRIT.      289 


by  your  kindness  or  unkindness  ?  And  what 
kind  of  anger  have  you  indulged  in  the 
family  ?  Has  it  not  often  been  unreasonable 
and  sinful,  not  only  in  its  nature,  but  in  its 
occasions,  where  those  with  whom  you  were 
angry  were  not  in  fault,  or  when  the  fault  was 
trifling  or  unintended,  or  where,  perhaps,  you 
were  yourself  in  part  to  blame  for  it ;  and 
even  where  there  might  have  been  just  cause, 
has  not  your  wrath  been  continued,  and  led 
you  to  be  sullen,  or  severe,  to  an  extent  that 
your  own  conscience  disapproved  ?  And  have 
you  not  been  angry  with  your  neighbors  who 
live^by  you,  and  with  whom  you  have  to  do 
daily  ;  and  on  trifling  occasions,  and  for  little 
things,  have  you  not  allowed  yourself  in  anger 
toward  them  ?  In  all  these  points  it  becomes 
us  to  examine  ourselves,  and  know  what 
manner  of  sj^irit  we  are  of,  and  wherein  we 
come  short  of  the  spirit  of  Christ. 

2.  The  sicbject  dissuades  from^  and  warns 
against^  all  imdue  and  sinful  anger. — -The 
heart  of  man  is  exceeding  prone  to  undue  and 
sinful  anger,  being  naturally  full  of  pride  and 
selfishness  ;  and  we  live  in  a  world  that  is  full 
of  occasions  that  tend  to  stir  up  this  corruj)- 
tion   that   is   within   us,  so   that   we   cannot 


290  THE   SPIKIT   OF   CHAKITT 


expect  to  live  in  any  tolerable  measure  as 
Christians  should  do,  in  this  respect,  without 
constant  watchfulness  and  prayer.  And  we 
should  not  only  watch  against  the  exercises, 
but  fight  against  the  principle  of  anger,  and 
seek  earnestly  to  have  that  mortified  in  our 
hearts,  by  the  establishment  and  increase  ot 
the  spirit  of  divine  love  and  humility  in  our 
souls.  And  to  this  end,  several  things  may 
be  considered.     And, 

First^  Consider  frequently  your  own  fail- 
ings^ hy  which  you  have  given  hoth  God  and 
man  occasion  to  he  displeased  with  you.  All 
your  life-time  you  have  come  short  of  God's 
requirements,  and  thus  justly  incurred  his 
dreadful  wrath ;  and  constantly  you  have 
occasion  to  pray  God  that  he  will  not  be  angry 
with  you,  but  will  show  you  mercy.  And 
your  failings  have  also  been  numerous  toward 
your  fellow-men,  and  have  often  given  them 
occasion  to  be  angry  with  you.  Your  faults 
are  as  great  perhaps  as  theirs  ;  and  this  thought 
should  lead  you  not  to  spend  so  much  of  your 
time  in  fretting  at  the  motes  in  their  eyes,  but 
rather  to  occupy  it  in  pulling  the  beams  out 
of  your  own.  Yery  often  those  that  are  most 
ready  to  be  angry  with  others,  and  to  carry 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   AN    ANGRY   SPIRIT.      291 


their  resentments  highest  for  their  faults,  are 
equally,  or  still  moreguiltj  of  the  same  faults. 
And  so  those  that  are  most  apt  to  be  angry 
with  others  for  speaking  evil  of  them,  are 
often  most  frequent  in  speaking  evil  of  others, 
and  even  in  their  anger  to  vilify  and  abuse 
them.  If  others  then  j)rovoke  us,  instead  of 
being  angry  with  them,  let  our  first  thoughts 
be  turned  to  ourselves,  and  let  it  put  us  on 
eelf-reilection,  and  lead  us  to  inquire  whether 
we  have  not  been  guilty  of  the  very  same 
things  that  excite  our  anger,  or  even  of  worse. 
Thus  thinking  of  our  own  failings  and  errors, 
would  tend  to  keep  us  from  undue  anger  with 
others.     And  consider,  also, 

Second^  How  such  undue  anger  destroys  the 
comfort  of  him  that  indidges  it.  It  troubles 
the  soul  in  which  it  is,  as  a  storm  troubles  the 
ocean.  Such  anger  is  inconsistent  with  a 
man's  enjoying  himself,  or  having  any  true 
peace,  or  self-respect  in  his  own  spirit.  Men 
of  an  angry  and  wrathful  temjDer,  whose  minds 
are  always  in  a  fret,  are  the  most  miserable 
Bort  of  men,  and  live  a  most  miserable  life  ; 
BO  that  a  regard  to  our  own  happiness  should 
lead  us  to  shun  all  undue  and  sinful  anger. 
Consider,  again, 


292  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


Third ^  How  much  such,  a  spirit  unfits  per- 
sons for  the  duties  of  religion.  All  undue 
anger  indisposes  us  for  the  pious  exercises, 
and  the  active  duties  of  religion.  It  puts  the 
soul  far  from  that  sweet  and  excellent  frame 
of  spirit,  in  which  we  most  enjoy  communion 
with  God,  and  which  makes  truth  and  ordi- 
nances most  profitable  to  us.  And  hence  it 
is,  that  God  commands  us  not  to  approach 
his  altars  while  we  are  at  enmity  with  others, 
but  "  first  to  be  reconciled  to  our  brother,  and 
then  come  and  ofier  our  gift,"  Matt.  v.  24; 
and  that  by  the  Apostle  it  is  said,  "I  will, 
therefore,  that  men  pray  everywhere,  lifting 
up  holy  hands,  without  wrath  and  doubting;" 
1  Timothy  ii.  8.     And,  once  more,  consider, 

Fourth.^  Thvit  angry  men  are  spoken  of  in 
the  Bible.,  as  unfit  for  human  society.  The 
express  direction  of  God  is,  "  Make  no  friend- 
ship with  an  angry  man,  and  wdth  a  furious 
man  thou  shalt  not  go,  lest  thou  learn  his 
ways,  and  get  a  snare  to  thy  soul,"  Proverbs 
xxii.24,  25.  Such  a  man  is  accursed  as  a  pest 
of  society,  who  disturbs  and  disquiets  it,  and 
puts  everything  into  confusion.  "  An  angry 
man  stirreth  up  strife,  and  a  furious  man 
aboundeth  in  transgression,"  Proverbs  xxix. 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   AN   ANGRY   SPIRIT.       293 


22.  Every  one  is  uncomfortable  about  him  ; 
his  example  is  evil;  and  his  conduct  dis- 
approved alike  by  God  and  men.  Let  tnese 
considerations,  then,  prevail  with  all,  and  lead 
them  to  avoid  au  angry  spirit  and  temper,  and 
to  cultivate  the  spirit  of  gentleness,  and  kind- 
ness, and  love,  which  is  the  spirit  of  heaven. 


20 


LECTURE  X. 

THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY   THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A 
CENSORIOUS   SPIRIT. 

"  Thinketh.  ao  evil." — 1  Cok.  xiii.  5. 

Having  remarked  liow  charity,  or  Christian 
love,  is  opposed  not  only  to  pride  and  selfish- 
ness, but  to  the  ordinary  fruits  of  these  evil 
dispositions^  viz. :  an  angry  spirit,  and  a  cen- 
sorious spirit,  and  having  already  spoken  as 
to  the  former,  I  come  now  to  the  latter.  And 
in  respect  to  this,  the  A230stle  declares,  that 
charity  "  thinheth  no  evil.''''  The  doctrine  set 
forth  in  these  words,  is  clearly  this  : — 

That  the  spirit  of  charity,  or  Christian 
love,  is  the  opposite  of  a  censorious  spirit. — > 
Or  in  other  words,  it  is  contrary  to  a  disposi- 
tion to  think  or  judge  uncharitably  of  others. 
Charity,  in  one  of  the  common  uses  of  the  ex- 
pression, signifies  a  disposition  to  think  the 
best  i)f  others  that  the  case  will  allow.     This, 


THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY.  295 


however,  as  I  have  shown  before,  is  not  tlie 
scriptural  meaning  of  the  word  charity,  but 
only  one  way  of  its  exercise,  or  one  of  its 
many  and  rich  fruits.  Charity  is  of  vastly 
larger  extent  than  this.  It  signifies,  as  we 
have  already  seen,  the  same  as  Christian  or 
div^ine  love,  and  so  is  the  same  as  the  Chris- 
tian sj)irit.  And  in  accordance  with  this 
view,  we  here  ,iind  the  spirit  of  charitable 
judging  mentioned  among  many  other  good 
fruits  of  charity,  and  here  exj^ressed,  as  the 
other  fruits  of  charity  are  in  the  context, 
negatively^  or  by  denying  the  contrary  fruit, 
viz. :  censoriousness,  or  a  disposition  unchar- 
itably to  judge  or  censure  others.  And  in 
speaking  to  this  point,  I  would,  first,  show  the 
nature  of  censoriousness,  or  wherein  it  con- 
sists ;  and  then  mention  some  things  wherein 
it  appears  to  be  contrary  to  a  Christian  spirit. 
I  would  show, 

I.  The  nature  of  censoriousness^  or  wherein 
a  censorious  sjpirit^  or  a  disposition  unchari- 
tahly  to  judge  others^  consists. — It  consists  in  a 
disposition  to  think  evil  of  others,  or  to  judge 
evil  of  them,  with  respect  to  three  things  : 
their  state ;  their  qualities ;  their  actions. 
And, 


296  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


1.  A  censorious  spirit  appears  hi  a  forward' 

ness  to  judge  evil  of  the  state  of  others.  It 
often  shows  itself  in  a  dispositic^n  to  think  the 
w^rst  of  those  about  us,  whether  they  are  men 
of  the  world,  or  professing  Christians.  In  re- 
spect to  the  latter  class,  it  often  leads  persons 
to  pass  censure  on  those  who  are  professors 
of  religion,  and  to  condemn  them  as  being 
hypocrites.  Here,  however,  extremes  are  to 
be  avoided.  Some  persons  are  very  apt  to  be 
positive,  from  little  things  that  they  observe 
in  others,  in  determining  that  they  are  godly 
men  ;  and  others  are  forw^ard,  from  just  as  lit- 
tle things,  to  be  positive  in  condemning  others 
as  not  having  the  least  degree  of  grace  in  their 
hearts,  and  as  being  strangers  to  vital  and  ex- 
perimental religion.  Eut  all  positiveness  in 
an  affair  of  this  nature,  seems  to  be  without 
w^arrant  from  the  word  of  God.  God  seems 
there  to  have  reserved  the  positive  determi- 
nation of  men's  state  to  himself,  as  a  thing  to 
be  kept  in  his  own  hands,  as  the  great  and 
only  searcher  of  the  hearts  of  the  children  of 
men. 

Persons  are  guilty  of  censoriousness  in  con- 
demning the  state  of  others,  when  they  will 
do  it  from  things  that  are  no  evidence  of  their 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   CENSORIOUS   SPIRIT.      297 


being  in  a  bad  estate ;  or  when  they  avIII  con- 
demn others  as  hypocrites  because  of  God's 
providential  dealings  with  them,  as  Job's 
three  friends  condemned  him  as  a  hypocrite 
on  account  of  his  uncommon  and  severe  afflic- 
tions. And  the  same  is  true,  when  they  con 
demn  them  for  the  failings  they  may  see  in 
them,  and  which  are  no  greater  than  are  often 
incident  to  God's  children,  and  it  may  be  no 
greater,  or  not  so  great  as  their  own,  though 
notwithstanding  just -such  things  they  think 
well  of  themselves  as  Christians.  And  so 
persons  are  censorious,  when  they  condemn 
others  as  being  unconverted  and  carnal  men, 
because  they  differ  from  them  in  opinion  on 
some  points  tlu^t  are  not  fundamental ;  or 
when  they  judge  ill  of  their  state  from  what 
they  observe  in  them,  for  want  of  making  due 
allowances  for  their  natural  temperament,  or 
for  their  manner  or  want  of  education,  or 
other  peculiar  disadvantages  under  which 
they  labor, — orwdien  they  are  ready  to  reject 
all  as  irreligious  and  unconverted  men,  be- 
cause their  experiences  do  not,  in  everything, 
quadrate  with  their  own  ;  setting  iip  them- 
selves, and  their  own  experience,  as  a  stand- 
ard and  rule  to  all  others;  not  being  sensible 


298  THE   SPIRIT   OF    CHARITY 


of  tliat  vast  variety  and  liberty  wliich  the 
Spirit  of  God  permits  and  nses  in  his  saving 
work  on  the  hearts  of  men,  and  how  mysteri- 
ous and  inscrutable  his  ways  often  are,  and 
especially  in  this  great  w^ork  of  making  men 
new  creatures  in  Christ  Jesus.  In  all  these 
ways,  men  often  act,  not  only  censoriously, 
but  as  unreasonably,  in  not  allowing  any  to 
be  Christians  who  have  not  their  own  experi- 
ences, as  if  they  would  not  allow  any  to  be 
men,  who  had  not  just  their  own  stature,  and 
the  same  strength,  or  temperament  of  body, 
and  the  very  same  features  of  countenance 
with  themselves.    In  the  next  place, 

2.  A  censorious  spirit  aj^pears  in  a  for- 
wardness  to  judge  evil  of  the  qualities  of  others. 
It  appears  in  a  disposition  to  overlook  their 
good  qualities,  or  to  think  them  destitute  of 
such  qualities  when  they  are  not,  or  to  make 
very  little  of  them ;  or  to  magnify  their  ill 
qualities,  and  make  more  of  them  than  is 
just ;  or  to  charge  them  with  those  ill  quali- 
ties that  they  have  not.  Some  are  very  apt  to 
charge  others  with  ignorance  and  folly,  and 
other  contemptible  qualities,  when  they  in  no 
sense  deserve  to  be  esteemed  thus  by  them. 
Some  seem  very  2^^^  to  entertain  a  very  low 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   CENSORIOUS   SPIRIT.       299 


and  despicable  opinion  of  others,  and  so  to 
represent  them  to  their  associates  and  friends, 
when  a  charitable  disposition  would  discern 
many  good  things  in  them,  to  balance  or  more 
than  balance  the  evil,  and  would  frankly  own 
them  to  be  ^iersons  not  to  be  despised.  And 
some  are  ready  to  charge  others  with  those 
morally  evil  qualities  that  they  are  free  from, 
or  to  charge  them  with  such  qualities  in  a 
much  higher  degree  than  they  at  all  deserve. 
Thus  some  have  such  a  prejudice  against 
some  of  their  neighbors,  that  they  regard  them 
as  a  great  deal  more  proud  sort  of  persons, 
more  selfish,  or  spiteful,  or  malicious,  than 
they  really  are.  Through  some  deep  preju- 
dice they  have  imbibed  against  them,  they  are 
ready  to  conceive  that  they  have  all  manner 
of  bad  qualities,  and  no  good  ones.  They 
seem  to  them  to  be  an  exceeding  j^i'oud,  or 
covetous,  or  selfish,  or,  in  some  way,  bad  sort 
of  men,  when  it  may  be  that  to  others  they 
appear  well.  Others  see  their  many  good 
qualities,  and  see  perhaps  many  palliations  of 
the  qualities  that  are  not  good ;  but  the  cen- 
sorious see  only  that  which  is  evil,  and  speak 
only  that  which  is  unjust  and  disparaging  as 
to  the  qualities  of  others.     And, 


300  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CIIAKITY 


3.  A  censorious  spirit  appears  in  aforvja/rd- 
ness  to  judge  evil  of  the  actions  of  others.  By 
actions,  here,  I  would  be  understood  to  mean, 
all  the  external  voluntary  acts  of  men,  whether 
consisting  in  words  or  deeds.  And  a  censori- 
ous spirit  in  judging  evil  of  others'  actions, 
discovers  itself  in  two  things: — ■ 

First ^  In  judging  them  to  be  guilty  of  evil 
actions,  without  any  evidence  that  constrains 
them  to  such  a  judgment.  A  suspicious  spirit, 
which  leads  persons  to  be  jealous  of  others, 
and  ready  to  suspect  them  of  being  guilty  of 
evil  things  when  they  have  no  evidence  of  it 
whatever,  is  an  uncharitable  spirit,  and  con- 
trary to  Christianity.  Some  persons  are  very 
free  in  passing  their  censures  on  others  with 
respect  to  those  things  that  they  suppose  they 
do  out  of  their  sight.  They  are  ready  to  be- 
lieve that  they  commit  this,  and  that,  and  the 
other  evil  deed,  in  secret,  and  away  from  the 
eyes  of  men,  or  that  they  have  done  or  said 
thus  and  so  among  their  associates,  andin  the 
circle  of  their  friends,  and  that,  from  some  de- 
sign or  motive,  they  keep  these  things  hid 
from  others  that  are  not  in  the  same  inter- 
est with  themselves.  These  are  the  persons 
cliargeable  with  the  "evil  surmisings,"  spoken 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF    A    CENSORIOUS    SPIRIT.       301 


of  and  condemned  by  the  Apostle,  1  Timothy 
vi.  4,  and  which  are  connected  with  "  envy, 
strife  and  railings."  Yery  often,  again,  per- 
sons phow  an  uncharitable  and  censorious 
spirit  with  respect  to  the  actions  of  others,  by 
being  forward  to  take  up,  and  circulate  evil 
reports  about  them.  Merely  hearing  a  flying 
and  evil  rumor  about  an  individual,  in  such  a 
thoughtless  and  lying  world  as  this  is,  is  far 
from  being  sufficient  evidence  against  any 
one,  to  make  us  believe  he  has  been  guilty  of 
that  which  is  reported  ;  for  the  devil,  who  is 
called  "the  god  of  this  world,"  is  said  to  be 
"  a  liar,  and  the  father  of  it,"  and  too  many, 
alas!  of  his  cliildren  are  like  him  in  their 
speaking  of  falsehoods.  And  yet  it  is  a  very 
common  thing  for  persons  to  pass  a  judgment 
on  others,  on  no  better  ground  or  foundation, 
than  that  they  have  heard  that  somebody  has 
said  this,  or  that,  or  the  other  thing,  though 
they  have  no  evidence  that  what  is  said  is 
true.  When  they  hear  that  another  has  done 
or  said  so  and  so,  they  seem  at  once  to  con- 
clude that  it  is  so,  without  making  any  further 
inquiry,  though  nothing  is  more  uncertain,  or 
more  likely  to  prove  false,  than  the  mutterings 
or  whispers  of  common  fame.     And  some  are 


302  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHARITY 


always  so  ready  to  catcli  up  all  ill-report,  that 
it  seems  to  be  pleasing  to  them  to  hear  evil 
of  others.  Their  spirit  seems  greedy  of  it ; 
and  it  is,  as  it  were,  food  to  the  hunger  of 
their  depraved  hearts,  and  they  feed  on  it,  as 
carrion  birds  do  on  the  worst  of  flesh.  They 
easily  and  greedily  take  it  in  as  true,  without 
examination,  thus  showing  how  contrary  they 
are  in  character  and  conduct  to  him  of  whom 
the  Psalmist  S23eaks,  Psalm  xv.  1-3,  as  dwell- 
ing in  God's  tabernacle  and  abiding  in  his 
holy  hill,  and  of  whom  he  declares,  that  "  he 
taketh  not  up  a  reproach  against  his  neigh- 
bor ;"  and  showing,  also,  that  they  are  rather 
like  "  the  wicked  doer,"  that  "giveth  heed  to 
false  lips,"  and  as  the  "  liar,"  who  "  giveth 
ear  to  a  naughty  tongue,"  Proverbs  xvii.  4. 
A  censorious  spirit  in  judging  evil  of  the  ac- 
tions of  others,  also,  discovers  itself. 

Second^  In  a  disposition  to  put  the  worst 
constructions  on  their  actions.  The  censorious 
are  not  only  apt  to  judge  others  guilty  of  evil 
actions  without  sufficient  evidence,  but  they 
are  also  prone  to  put  a  bad  construction  on 
their  actions,  when  they  will  just  us  well,  and 
perhaps  better  admit  of  a  good  construction. 
Yery  often  the  moving  design  and  end  in  the 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    CENSORIOUS    SPIRIT.       303 


action,  is  secret,  confined  to  the  recesses  of  the 
actor's  own  bosom  ;  and  yet  persons  are  com- 
monly very  forward  to  pass  their  censure 
upon  the  act.  witliout  reference  to  these  :  and 
this  is  a  kind  of  censoriousness  and  unchar- 
itable judging,  as  common,  or  more  common 
than  any  other.  Thus  it  is  very  common  with 
men,  when  they  are  prejudiced  against  others, 
to  put  bad  constructions  on  their  actions  or 
words  that  are  seemingly  good,  as  though 
they  were  performed  in  hypocrisy  ;  and  this 
is  especially  true  in  reference  to  public  officea 
and  affairs.  If  anything  be  said  or  done  by 
persons,  wherein  there  is  a  show  of  concern 
for  the  jDublic  good,  or  the  good  of  a  neighbor, 
or  the  honor  of  God,  or  the  interest  of  reli- 
gion, some  will  always  be  ready  to  say,  that 
all  this  is  in  hypocrisy,  and  that  the  design 
really  is,  only  to  promote  their  own  interest, 
and  to  advance  themselves  ;  and  that  they 
are  only  flattering  and  deluding  others,  hav- 
ing all  the  time  some  evil  design  in  their 
hearts. 

But  here  it  may  be  inquired,  "Wherein  lies 
the  evil  of  judging  ill  of  others,  since  it  is  not 
true  that  all  judging  ill  of  others  is  unlawful? 


304  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAEITT 


And  where  are  the  lines  to  be  drawn  ?"  Tc 
this,  I  reply, 

Firsts  There  are  some  persons  that  are  ap- 
pointed on  purpose  to  he  judges^  in  civil  socie- 
ties, and  in  churches,  who  are  impartially  to 
judge  of  others  that  properly  fall  under  their 
cognizance,  whether  good  or  bad,  and  to  pass 
sentence  according  to  what  they  are  ;  to  ap- 
prove the  good,  and  condemn  the  bad,  ac- 
cording to  tlie  evidence,  and  the  nature  of  the 
act  done,  and  its  agreement  or  disagreement 
with  the  law  which  is  the  judges'  rule. 

Second^  Particular  persons  in  their  private 
judgments  of  others,  are  not  obliged  to  divest 
themselves  of  reason^  that  they  may  thus  judge 
well  of  all.  This  would  be  plainly  against 
reason;  for  Christian  charity  is  not  a  thing 
founded  on  the  ruins  of  reason,  but  there  is 
the  most  sweet  harmony  between  reason  and 
charity.  And  therefore  we  are  not  forbidden 
to  judge  all  persons  when  there  is  plain  and 
clear  evidence  that  they  are  justly  chargeable 
with  evil.  We  are  not  to  blame,  when  we 
judge  those  to  be  wicked  men,  and  poor 
Christless  wretches,  who  give  flagrant  proof 
that  they  are  so  by  a  course  of  wicked  action. 
"  Some  men's  sins."  says  the  Apostle,  "  are 


TfEE   OPPOSITE    OF    A    CENSORIOUS    SPIRIT.       305 


open  beforehand,  going  before  to  jnclgment, 
and  some  men  they  follow  after."  That  is, 
some  men's  sins  are  such  plain  testimony 
against  them,  that  they  are  sufficient  to  con- 
demn them  as  wicked  men  in  full  sight  of  the 
world,  even  before  the  coming  of  that  final 
day  of  judgment  that  shall  disclose  the  secrets 
of  the  heart  to  all.  And  so  some  men's  ac- 
tions give  such  clear  evidence  of  the  evil  of 
their  intentions,  that  it  is  no  judging  the  se- 
crets of  the  heart,  to  judge  that  their  designs 
and  ends  are  wicked.  And  therefore  it  is 
plain,  that  all  judging  as  to  others'  state,  or 
qualifications,  or  actions,  is  not  an  unchari- 
table censoriousness.  But  the  evil  of  that 
judging  wherein  censoriousness  consists,  lies 
in  two  things  : — 

It  lies^Jlrst,  in  judging  evil  of  others  when 
evidence  does  not  oblige  to  it,  or  in  thinking 
ill  of  them  when  the  case  very  well  allows  of 
thinking  well  of  them ;  when  those  things 
that  seem  to  be  in  their  favor  are  overlooked, 
and  only  those  that  are  against  them  are  re- 
garded, and  when  the  latter  are  magnified, 
and  too  great  stress  laid  on  them.  And  the 
same  is  the  case,  when  persons  are  hasty 
and  rash  in  judging  and  condemning  others. 


306  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAKITT 


though  both  prudence  and  charity  oblige 
them  to  suspend  their  judgment  till  they 
know  more  of  the  matter,  and  all  the  cir- 
cumstances are  plain  before  them.  Persons 
may  often  show  a  great  deal  of  un charitable- 
ness and  rashness,  in  freely  censuring  others 
before  they  have  heard  what  they  have  to  say 
in  their  defence.  And  hence  it  is  said,  '*  He 
that  answereth  a  matter  before  he  heareth  it, 
it  is  folly  and  shame  unto  him,"  Proverbs 
xviii.  13. 

And  the  evil  of  that  judging  which  is  cen- 
sorious, lies,  in  the  second  place,  in  a  well- 
pleasedness  in  judging  ill  of  others.  Persons 
may  judge  ill  of  others,  from  clear  and  plain 
evidence  that  compels  them  to  it,  and  yet  it 
may  be  to  their  grief  that  they  are  obliged  to 
judge  as  they  do ;  just  as  when  a  tender  j)arent 
■  hears  of  some  great  crime  of  a  child  with  such 
evidence  that  he  cannot  but  think  it  true. 
But  very  often  judgment  is  passed  against 
others,  in  such  a  manner  as  shows  that  tho 
individual  is  well  pleased  in  passing  it.  He 
is  so  forward  in  judging  evil,  and  judges  on 
such  slight  evidence,  and  carries  his  judg- 
ment to  such  extremes,  as  shows  that  his  in- 
clination is  in  it,  and  that  he  loves  to  think 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   CENSORIOUS   SPIRIT.       307 


the  worst  of  others.  Such  a  well-pleasedness 
in  judging  ill  of  others,  is  also  manifested  in 
our  being  forward  to  declare  our  judgment, 
and  to  speak,  as  well  as  think  evil  of  others. 
It  may  be  in  speaking  of  them  with  ridicule, 
or  an  air  of  contempt,  or  in  bitterness,  or 
maliciousness  of  spirit,  or  with  manifest  pleas- 
ure in  their  deficiencies  or  errors.  When  to 
judge  ill  of  others,  is  against  the  inclination 
of  persons,  they  will  be  very  cautious  in  doing 
it,  and  will  go  no  further  in  it  than  evidence 
obliges  them,  and  will  think  the  best  that  the 
nature  of  ihe  case  will  admit,  and  will  put  the 
best  possible  construction  on  the  words  and 
actions  of  others.  And  when  they  are  obliged, 
against  their  inclination,  to  think  evil  of 
another,  it  will  be  no  j)leasure  to  declare  it, 
but  they  will  be  backward  to  speak  of  it  to 
any,  and  will  only  do  so  when  a  sense  of  duty 
leads  them  to  it.  Having  thus  shown  the 
nature  of  censoriousness,  I  pass,  as  proposed, 

II.  To  show  how  a  censorious  sjpirit  is  cortr 
trary  to  the  spirit  of  charity  or  Christian  love. 
And, 

1.  It  is  contrary  to  love  to  our  neighbor. 
And  this  appears  by  three  things. 

First^  We  see  that  persons  are  very  hade- 


308  THE    SPIRIT    OF    OHAEITY 


wardto  judge  evil  of  themselves.  Tliey  are  very 
ready  to  think  well  of  their  own  qualifications. 
And  so  they  are  forward  to  think  the  best  of 
their  own  state.  If  there  be  anything  in  them 
that  resembles  grace,  they  are  exceeding  apt 
to  think  that  their  state  is  good.  And  so  they 
9VQ  ready  to  think  well  of  their  own  words  and 
deeds,  and  very  backward  to  think  evil  of 
themselves  in  any  of  these  respects.  And  the 
reason  is,  that  they  have  a  great  love  to  them- 
selves. And,  therefore,  if  they  loved  their 
neighbor  as  themselves,  love  would  have  the 
same  tendency  witli  respect  to  him» 

Second^  We  see  that  persons  are  very  'bach- 
ward  to  judge  evil  of  those  they  love.  Thus 
we  see  it  is  in  men  toward  those  that  are  their 
personal  friends,  and  thus  it  is  in  parents 
toward  their  children.  They  are  very  ready 
to  think  well  of  them,  and  to  think  the  best 
of  their  qualifications,  whether  natural  or 
moral.  They  are  much  more  backward  than 
others,  to  take  up  evil  reports  of  them,  and 
slow  to  believe  what  is  said  against  them. 
They  are  forward  to  put  the  most  favorable 
cousti'uctions  on  their  actions.  And  the  reason 
is,  because  they  love  them. 

Thirds  We  see,  also,  that  it  is  universally 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A    CENSORIOUS   SPIRIT.       309 


the  case,  that  where  hatred  and  ill-will  toward 
others  most  prevail^  there  a  censorious  spirit 
does  most  prevail  also.  When  persons  fall 
out,  and  there  is  a  difficulty  between  them, 
and  anger  and  prejudice  arise,  and  ill-will  is 
contracted,  there  is  always  a  forwardness  to 
judge  the  worst  of  each  other;  an  aptness  to 
think  meanly  of  each  other's  qualifications, 
and  to  imagine  they  discover  in  each  other  a 
great  many  evil  qualities,  and  some  that  are 
very  evil  indeed.  And  each  is  apt  to  enter, 
tain  jeahmsies  of  what  the  other  may  do  when 
absent  and  out  of  sight ;  and  is  forward  to  listen 
to  evil  reports  respecting  him,  and  to  believe 
every  word  of  them,  and  apt  to  put  the  worst 
construction  on  all  that  he  may  say  or  do. 
And  very  commonly  there  is  a  forwardness  to 
think  ill  of  the  condition  he  is  in,  and  to 
censure  him  as  a  graceless  person.  And  as  it 
is  in  cases  like  this,  of  difficulty  between  par- 
ticular persons,  so  it  is  apt  to  be  the  like  in 
cases  of  difference  between  two  parties.  And 
these  things  show  plainly,  that  it  is  want  of 
Christian  love  to  our  neighbor,  and  the  indul- 
gence of  a  contrary  spirit,  from  which  cen- 
Boriousness  arises.     I  will  only  add, 

2.    That   a   censorious   spi7'it  onanifests   a 
21 


310  THE    SPIRIT   OF    CHAKITY 


P70ud  spirit. — And  this,  the  context  declares, 
is  contrary  to  the  spirit  of  charity,  or  Chris- 
tian love.  A  forwardness  to  judge  and  cen- 
Bure  others,  shows  a  proud  disposition,  as 
though  the  censorious  person  thought  himself 
free  from  such  faults  and  blemishes,  and  there- 
fore felt  justified  in  being  busy  and  bitter  in 
charging  others  with  them,  and  censuring  and 
condemning  them  for  them.  This  is  implied 
in  the  language  of  the  Saviour,  in  the  seventh 
chapter  of  Matthew,  "Judge  not  that  ye  be 
not  judged,"  and  "why  beholdest  thou  the 
mote  that  is  in  thy  brother's  eye,  but  con- 
siderest  not  the  beam  that  is  in  thine  own 
eye  ?  Or  how  wilt  thou  say  to  thy  brother, 
let  me  pull  out  the  mote  out  of  thine  eye,  and 
behold  a  beam  is  in  thine  own  eye?  Thou 
hypocrite!''''  And  the  same  is  implied  in 
the  declaration  of  the  apostle,  "Therefore  thou 
art  inexcusable,  O  man,  whosoever  thou  art 
that  judgest :  for  wherein  thou  judgest  another, 
thou  condemnest  thyself ;  for  thou  that  judgest, 
doest  the  same  things,"  Rom.  ii.  1.  If  men 
were  humbly  sensible  of  their  own  failings, 
they  would  not  be  very  forward  or  pleased  in 
judging  others,  for  the  censure  passed  upon 
others  would  but  rest  on  themselves.     There 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF    A    CENSORIOUS   SPIRIT.      311 


are  tlie  same  kinds  of  corruption  in  one  man's 
heart,  as  in  another's  ;  and  if  those  persons 
that  are  most  busy  in  censuring  others  would 
but  look  within,  and  seriously  examine  their 
own  hearts  and  lives,  they  might  generally 
see  the  same  dia-positions  and  behavior  in 
tliemselves,  at  one  time  or  another,  which  they 
see  and  judge  in  others,  or  at  least  something 
as  much  deserving  of  censure.  And  a  disposi- 
tion to  judge  and  condemn,  shows  a  conceited 
and  arrogant  disposition.  It  has  the  appear- 
ance of  a  person's  setting  himself  up  above 
others,  as  though  he  was  fit  to  be  the  lord  and 
judge  of  his  fellow-servants,  and  he  supposed 
they  were  to  stand  or  fall  according  to  his 
sentience.  This  seems  implied  in  the  language 
of  the  Apostle,  "  He  that  sj^eaketh  evil  of  his 
brother,  and  judgeth  his  brother,  speaketh 
evil  of  the  law,  and  judgeth  the  law ;  but  if 
thou  judge  the  law,  thou  art  not  a  doer  of  the 
law,  but  a  judge,"  James  iv.  11.  That  is,  you 
do  not  act  as  a  fellow-servant  to  him  that  you 
judge,  or  as  one  that  is  under  the  same  law 
with  him,  but  as  the  giver  of  the  law,  and  tlie 
judge  whose  province  it  is  to  pass  sentence 
under  it.  And  therefore  it  is  added,  in  the 
next  verse,  "  There  is  one  lawgiver,  who  is 


312  THE   SPIKTT   OF   CHAEITY 


able  to  sa^e  and  to  destroy.  Who  art  thoii 
that  jiidgest  another?"  And  so,  in  Rinnans 
xiv.  4,  "  Who  art  thon  that  judgest  another 
man's  servant  ?  To  his  own  master  he  standeth 
or  falleth."  God  is  the  only  rightful  judge,  and 
the  thought  of  his  sovereignty  and  dominion 
should  hold  us  back  from  daring  to  judge  or 
censure  our  fellow-beings. 

In  the  application  of  tliis  subject,  I  remark, 
1.  It  sternly  reproves  those  who  commonly 
tahe  to  themselves  the  liberty  of  speahing  evil 
of  others. — If  to  think  evil  be  so  much  to  be 
condemned,  surely  they  are  still  more  to  be 
condemned  who  not  only  allow  themselves  in 
thinking,  but  also  in  speaking  evil  of  others, 
and  backbiting  them  with  their  tongues.  The 
evil-speaking  that  is  against  neighbors  behind 
their  backs,  does  very  much  consist  in  censur- 
ing them,  or  in  the  expression  of  uncharitable 
thoughts  and  judgments  of  their  persons  and 
behavior.  And,  therefore,  speaking  evil  of 
others,  and  judging  others,  are  sometiiiies  put 
for  the  same  thing  in  the  Bible,  as  in  the 
passage  just  quoted  from  the  Apostle  James. 
How  often  does  the  Scripture  condemn  back- 
biting and  evil  speaking  !  The  Psalmist  de- 
clares of  the  wicked,  "Thou  givest  thy  mouth 


THE    OrPOSITE    OF    A    CENSOEIOUS    SPIRIT.       313 


to  evil,  and  thy  tongue  frametli  deceit.  Thou 
eittest  and  speakest  against  thy  brother;  thou 
elanderest  thine  own  mother's  son,"  Psalm 
1. 19, 20.  And,  says  the  Apostle,  to  Titus,  "  Put 
them  in  mind  to  speak  evil  of  no  man,  to  be 
no  brawlers,  but  gentle,  showing  all  meekness 
unto  all  men,"  Titus  iii.  1,  2  ;  and  again  it  is 
written,  "Wherefore  laying  aside  all  malice, 
and  all  guile,  and  hypocrisies,  and  envies,  and 
all  evil-speakings,"  1  Peter  ii.  1.  And  it  is 
mentioned,  as  part  of  the  character  of  every 
one  that  is  a  citizen  of  Zion,  and  that  shall 
stand  on  God's  holy  hill,  "  that  he  backbiteth 
not  with  his  tongue,"  Psalm  xv.  3.  Inquire, 
therefore,  whether  you  have  not  been  often 
guilty  of  this ;  whether  you  have  not  frequently 
censured  others,  and  expressed  your  hard 
thoughts  of  them,  especially  of  those  with 
whom  you  may  have  had  some  difficulty,  or 
that  have  been  of  a  different  party  from  your 
self?  And  is  it  not  a  practice  in  which  you 
more  or  less  allow  yourself  now,  from  day  to 
day  ?  And  if  so,  consider  how  contrary  it  is 
to  the  spirit  of  Christianity,  and  to  the  solemn 
profession  which,  it  may  be,  you  have  made 
as  Christians  ;  and  be  admonished  entirely 
and  at  once  to  forsake  it.     The  subject, 


314  THE   SPIRIT   OF   CHAEITY 


2.  Warns  all  against  censoriousness  either 
hy  thinMng  or  speaking  evil  of  others^  as  they 
would  he  worthy  of  the  name  of  Christians. — 
And  here  in  addition  to  the  thoughts  already 
suggested,  let  two  or  three  things  be  con- 
sidered.    And, 

First^  How  often,  when  the  truth  comes 
fully  out^  do  things  appear  far  better  con- 
cerning others.^  than  at  first  we  were  ready  to 
judge.  There  are  many  instances  in  the  Scrip- 
tures to  this  point.  "When  the  children  of 
Reuben,  and  of  Gad,  and  the  half  tribe  of 
Manasseh  had  built  an  altar  by  Jordan,  the 
rest  of  Israel  heard  of  it,  and  presently  con- 
cluded that  tliey  had  turned  away  from  the 
Lord,  and  rashly  resolved  to  go  to  war  against 
them.  But  when  the  truth  came  to  light,  it 
appeared,  on  the  contrary,  tliat  they  had 
erected  their  altar  for  a  good  end,  even  for 
the  worship  of  God,  as  may  be  seen  in  the 
twenty-second  chaj)ter  of  Joshua.  Eli  thought 
Hannah  was  drunk,  when  she  came  up  to  the 
temple ;  but  w^hen  the  truth  came  to  light,  he 
w^as  satisfied  that  she  was  full  of  grief,  and 
was  praying  and  pouring  out  her  soul  before 
God,  1  Samuel  i,  12-16.  David  concluded, 
from  w^hat  Ziba  told  him,  that  Mephiboslieth 


THE   OPPOSITE   OF   A   CENSORIOUS   SPIIIIT.     315 


bad  manifested  a  rebellious  and  treasonable 
Bpirit  against  bis  cro^^Ti,  and  so  acted  on  bis 
censorious  judgment,  greatly  to  tbe  injury  of 
tlie  latter;  but  when  tbe  truth  came  to  appear, 
he  saw  it  was  quite  otherwise.  Elijah  judged 
ill  of  the  state  of  Israel,  that  none  were  true 
worshippers  of  God  but  himself;  but  when 
God  told  him  the  truth,  it  appeared  that  there 
were  sev^en  thousand  who  liad  not  bowed  the 
knee  to  Baal.  And  how  commonly  are  things 
very  much  the  same  now-a-days  !  How  often, 
on  thorough  examination,  have  we  found  things 
better  of  others  than  we  have  heard,  and  than 
at  first  we  were  ready  to  judge !  There  are 
always  two  sides  to  every  story,  and  it  is 
generally  wise,  and  safe,  and  charitable  to 
take  the  best ;  and  yet  there  is  probably  no 
one  way  in  which  persons  are  so  liable  to  be 
wrong,  as  in  presuming  the  worst  is  true,  and 
in  forming  and  expre&sing  their  judgment  of 
others,  and  of  their  actions,  without  waiting 
till  all  the  truth  is  kno^^^i. 

Second^  How  litUe  occasion  is  therefor  us  to 
2MSS  our  sentence  on  others  with  resj)ect  to 
their  state,  qualifications,  or  actions  that  do 
not  concern  us.  Our  great  concern  is  with 
ourselves.     It  is  of  infinite  consequence  to  us, 


316  THE    SPIRIT    OF    CHARITY 


that  we  have  a  good  estate  before  God  ;  that 
we  are  possessed  of  good  qualities  and  prin- 
ciples ;  and  that  we  behave  ourselves  well, 
and  act  with  right  aims,  and  for  right  ends. 
But  it  is  a  minor  matter  to  us  how  it  is  with 
others.  And  there  is  little  need  of  our  cen- 
sure being  passed,  even  if  it  were  deserved, 
which  we  cannot  be  sure  of ;  for  the  business 
is  in  the  hands  of  God,  who  is  infinitely  more 
fit  to  see  to  it  than  we  can  be.  And  there  is 
a  day  appointed  for  his  decision.  So  that  if 
we  assume  to  judge  others,  we  shall  not  only 
take  upon  ourselves  a  work  that  does  not  belong 
to  us,  but  we  shall  be  doing  it  before  the  time. 
"Therefore,"  says  the  Apostle,  "judge  nothing 
before  the  time,  until  the  Lord  come,  wlio 
both  will  brincr  to  li^ht  the  hidden  thinos  of 
darkness,  and  will  make  manifest  the  counsels 
of  the  hearts ;  and  then  shall  every  man  have 
praise  of  God,"  1  Corinthians  iv.  5. 

Third^  God  has  threatened,  that  if  ive  are 
found  censoriously  judging  and  condemn^ 
ing  others^  we  shall  he  condemned  ourselves. 
"  Judge  not,"  he  says, "  that  ye  be  not  judged  ; 
for  with  what  judgment  ye  judge,  ye  shall  be 
judged."  And,  again,  tlie  iipostle  asks, "  And 
thinkest  thou  this,  O  man,  that  judgest  them 


THE    OPPOSITE    OF    A    CENSOKIOUS    SPIRIT.       317 


which  do  such  things,  and  doest  the  same,  that 
thou  shalt  escape  the  just  judgment  of  God?" 
Romans  ii.  3.  These  are  awful  threatenings, 
from  the  lips  of  that  great  being  who  is  to  be 
our  judge  at  the  final  day,  by  whom  it  in- 
finitely concerns  us  to  be  acquitted,  and  from 
whom  a  sentence  of  condemnation  will  be  un- 
speakably dreadful  to  us,  if  at  last  we  sink 
lorever  under  it.  Therefore  as  we  would  not 
ourselves  receive  condemnation  from  him,  let 
us  not  mete  out  such  measure  to  others. 


LECTUKE  XL 

LLL   TRUE   GRACE   IN   THE  HEART   TENDS  TO  HOLY 
PRACTICE    IN    THE    LIFE. 

"  Kejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth,"— 
1  Corinthians  xiii.  6. 

Having  mentioned  in  the  two  preceding 
verses,  many  of  tlie  good  fruits  of  cliaritj, 
and  shown  how  it  tends  to  an  excellent  beha- 
vior in  many  particulars,  the  Apostle  now 
sums  uj)  these,  and  all  other  good  tendencies 
of  charity  in  respect  to  active  conduct,  by  say- 
ing, "  It  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth 
in  the  truth."  As  if  he  had  said,  "  1  have 
mentioned  many  excellent  things  that  charitj 
has  a  tendency  to,  and  sho^vn  how  it  is  con- 
trary to  many  evil  things.  But  I  need  not  go 
on  to  multiply  particulars,  for,  in  a  word, 
charity  is  contrary  to  everything  in  the  life 
and  practice  that  is  evil,  and  tends  to  every- 


TEUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEART.       319 


thing  that  is  good.  It  rejoiceth  not  in  in- 
iquity, but  rejoiceth  in  the  truth." 

By  "iniquity,"  seems  to  be  intended  here, 
everything  that  is  sinful  in  the  life  and  j)rac- 
tice  ;  and  by  "  the  truth,"  everything  that  is 
good  in  the  life,  or  all  that  is  included  in 
Christian  and  holy  practice.  Tlie  word  truth 
is,  indeed,  variously  used  in  the  Bible.  Some- 
times it  means  the  true  doctrines  of  religion  ; 
sometimes  the  knowledge  of  these  doctrines ; 
sometimes,  veracity  or  faithfulness  ;  and  some- 
times, it  signifies  all  virtue  and  holiness,  in- 
cluding both  the  knowledge  and  reception  of 
all  the  great  truths  of  the  Scriptures,  and  con- 
formity to  these  in  the  life  and  conduct.  In 
this  last  sense  the  word  is  used  by  the  Apos- 
tle John,  when  he  says,  "I  rejoiced  greatly 
when  the  brethren  came  and  testified  of  the 
truth  that  is  in  thee,  even  as  thou  walkest  in 
the  truth,"  3  John  3.  Taking  the  word  in 
this  sense,  and  generalizing  the  proposition, 
we  have,  as  suggested  by  the  text,  the  doc- 
trine, 

That   all   true   Christian   grace   in   the 

HEART,  tends  TO  HOLY  PRACTICE    IN    THE  LIFE. — 

Negatively^  the  Apostle  declares  that  charitj 
is  opposed  to  all  wickedness, or  evil  practice; 


320       TRUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEART 


?ind  positively,  that  it  tends  to  all  rigliteous- 
ness,  or  liolj  practice.  And  as  the  principle 
may  be  generalized,  and  also  as  charity  has 
l)een  shown  to  be  the  sum  of  all  true  and  sav- 
ing grace,  the  doctrine  that  has  been  stated 
seems  clearly  contained  in  the  words  of  the 
text,  viz. :  the  doctrine,  that  all  trice  ChHs- 
tian  grace  tends  to  holy  practice.  If  any  have 
the  notion  of  grace,  that  it  is  something  put 
into  the  heart,  there  to  be  confined  and  dor- 
mant, and  that  its  influence  does  not  govern 
the  man,  throughout,  as  an  active  heing  /  or 
if  they  suppose  that  the  change  made  by 
grace,  though  it  indeed  betters  the  heart 
itself,  yet  has  no  tendency  to  a  corresponding 
improvement  of  the  outward  life,  they  have  a 
very  wrong  notion.  And  that  this  is  so,  I 
would  endeavor  to  make  plain,  first,  by  some 
arguments  in  favor  of  the  doctrine  that  has 
been  stated ;  and,  second,  by  showing  its 
truth  with  respect  to  particular  graces.    And, 

I.  I  would  state  some  arguments  in  support 
of  the  doctrine,  that  all  true  grace  in  the  hearty 
tends  to  holy  practice  in  the  life.     And, 

1.  Holy  practice  is  the  aim  of  that  eternal 
election,  which  is  the  first  ground  of  the  hestow- 
ment  of  all  true  grace — Holy  practice  is  not 


TENDS    TO    HOLY    PRACTICE    IN    LIFE.        321 


the  ground  and  reason  of  election,  as  is  sup- 
posed by  the  Arminians,  who  imagine  that 
God  elects  men  to  everlasting  life  uj^on  a  fore- 
sight of  their  good  works  ;  but  it  is  the  aim 
and  end  of  election.  God  does  not  elect 
men  because  he  foresees  they  will  be  holy, 
but  that  he  may  make  them,  and  that  they 
may  be  holy.  Thus,  in  election,  God  ordained 
that  men  should  walk  in  good  works,  as  says 
the  Apostle,  "  For  we  are  his  workmanship, 
created  in  Christ  Jesus  unto  good  works, 
which  God  hath  before  ordained  that  we 
should  walk  in  them,"  Ephesians  ii.  10.  And 
again  it  is  said,  that  the  elect  are  chosen  to 
this  very  end,  "He  hath  chosen  us,  in  him, 
before  the  foundation  of  the  world,  that  we 
should  be  holy,  and  without  blame  before  him 
in  love,"  Ephesians  i.  4.  And  so  Christ  tells 
his  disciples,  "I  have  chosen  you,  and  or- 
dained you,  that  ye  should  go,  and  bring  forth 
fruit,  and  that  your  fruit  should  remain," 
John  XV.  16.  ]l^ow  God's  eternal  election  is 
the  first  ground  of  the  bestowment  of  saving 
grace.  And  some  have  such  saving  grace, 
and  others  do  not  have  it,  because  some  arc 
from  eternity  chosen  of  God,  and  others  are 
not  chosen.     And  seeing  that  holy  practice  is 


322       TRUE  GEACE  IN  THE  HEART 


the  scope  and  aim  of  that  which  is  the  first 
ground  of  the  bestowment  of  grace,  this  same 
holy  practice  is  doubtless  the  tendency  of 
grace  itself.  Otherwise  it  would  follow, 
that  God  makes  use  of  a  certain  means  to 
attain  an  end  which  is  not  fitted  to  attain 
that  end,  and  has  no  tendency  to  it.  It  is 
further  true, 

2.  That  redemption^  hy  which  grace  is  pur- 
chased^ is  to  the  same  end. — ^The  redemption 
made  by  Christ  is  the  next  ground  of  the  be- 
stowment of  grace  on  all  who  possess  it. 
Christ,  by  his  merits,  in  the  great  things  that 
he  did  and  suffered  in  the  world,  has  purchased 
grace  and  holiness  for  his  own  people.  "  For 
their  sakes,"he  says,  "I  sanctify  myself,  that 
they  also  might  be  sanctified  through  the 
truth,"  John  xvii.  19.  And  Christ  thus  re- 
deemed the  elect,  and  purchased  grace  for 
them,  to  the  end  that  they  might  walk  in  holy 
practice.  He  has  reconciled  them  to  God  by 
his  death,  to  save  them  from  wicked  works, 
that  they  might  be  holy  and  unblamable  in 
their  lives,  says  the  Apostle,  "  And  you,  that 
were  sometime  alienated,  and  enemies  in 
your  mind  by  wicked  works,  yet  now  hath  he 
reconciled,^ in  the  body  of  his  flesh,  through 


TENDS   TO   HOLY   PEACTICE   IN    LIFE.        323 


death,  to  present  you  holy,  and  imblamable, 
and  unreprovable  in  his  sight,"  Colossians 
i.  21,  22.  When  the  angel  appeared  to  Jo- 
seph, he  told  him  that  the  child  that  should 
be  born  of  Mary  should  be  called  Jesus,  that 
is,  Saviour,  because  he  should  save  his  people 
from  their  sins,  Matt.  i.  21.  And  holiness  of 
life  is  declared  to  be  the  end  of  redemption, 
when  it  is  said  of  Christ,  that  "  he  gave  him- 
self for  us,  that  he  might  redeem  us  from  all 
iniquity,  and  purify  unto  himself  a  peculiar 
people,  zealous  of  good  works,"  Titus  ii.  14. 
And  so  we  are  told  that  Christ  "  died  for  all, 
that  they  which  live  should  not  henceforth 
live  unto  themselves,  but  unto  him  which  died 
for  them  and  rose  again,"  1  Corinthians  v. 
15.  And  for  this  end,  he  is  said  to  have  of- 
fered himself,  through  the  eternal  Spirit,  with- 
out spot  to  God,  that  his  blood  might  purge 
our  conscience  from  dead  works  to  serve  the 
living  God,  Hebrews  ix.  15. 

The  most  remarkable  type  of  the  work  of  re- 
demption by  divine  love  in  all  the  Old  Testa- 
ment history,  was  the  redemption  of  the  chil- 
dren of  Israel  out  of  Egypt.  But  the  holy 
living  of  his  people,  was  the  end  God  had  iu 
view  in  that  redemption,  as  he  often  signified 


324      TRUE  GEACE  IN  THE  HEAET 


to  Pharaoh,  when  from  time  to  time  he  said 
to  him  by  Moses  and  Aaron,  "  Let  my  people 
go  that  they  may  serve  me."  And  we  have 
a  like  expression  concerning  Christ's  redemp- 
tion in  the  ]N"ew  Testament,  where  it  is  said, 
"  Blessed  be  the  Lord  God  of  Israel,  for  he 
hath  visited  and  redeemed  his  people,  to  per- 
form the  mercy  promised  to  our  fathers,  and 
to  remember  his  holy  covenant,  the  oath 
which  he  sware  to  our  father  Abraham,  that 
he  would  grant  unto  us,  that  we,  being  deliv- 
ered out  of  the  hand  of  our  enemies,  might 
serve  him  without  fear,  in  holiness  and  right- 
eousness before  him,  all  the  days  of  our  life," 
Luke  i.  68-75.  All  these  things  make  it  very 
plain  that  the  end  of  redemption  is,  that  we 
might  be  holy.    Still  further  it  is  true, 

3.  Tliat  effectual  calling^  or  that  saving 
conversion  in  which  grace  is  commenced  in  the 
soul^  is  to  the  same  end. — God,  by  his  Spirit, 
and  through  his  truth,  calls,  awakens,  convicts, 
converts  and  leads  to  the  exercise  of  grace,  all 
those  who  are  made  willing  in  the  day  of  his 
power,  to  the  end  that  they  might  exercise 
themselves  in  holy  practice.  "  We  are  his 
workmanship,"  says  the  Apostle,  "  created  in 
Christ   Jesus  unto   good  works,  which  God 


TENDS    TO    HOLY    PEACTICE    IN    LIFE.        325 


liatli  before  ordained  that  we  should  live  in 
them,"  Ephesians  ii.  10.  And  the  Apostle 
tells  the  Christian  Thessalonians,  that  God 
had  not  called  tliem  unto  uncleanness,  but 
unto  holiness,  1  Thes.  iv.  7;  and  again  it  is 
written,  "As  he  which  hath  called  you  is 
holy,  so  be  ye  holy  in  all  manner  of  conver- 
sation," 1  Peter  i.  15.     It  is  also  true, 

4.  That  spiritual  hiowledge  and  under- 
standing^ which  are  the  inward  attendants  of 
all  true  grace  in  the  hearty  tend  to  holy  prac- 
tice.— A  true  knowledge  of  God  and  divine 
things,  is  a  practical  knowledge.  As  to  a 
mere  speculative  knowledge  of  the  things  of 
religion,  many  wicked  men  have  attained  to 
great  measures  of  it.  Men  may  possess  vast 
learning,  and  their  learning  may  consist  very 
much  of  their  knowledge  in  divinity,  and  of  the 
Bible,  and  of  the  things  pertaining  to  religion, 
and  they  may  be  able  to  reason  very  strongly 
about  the  attributes  of  God,  and  the  doctrines 
of  Christianity,  and  yet  herein  their  knowledge 
fails  of  being  a  saving  knowledge,  that  it  is 
only  speculative  and  not  practical.  He  that 
has  a  right  and  saving  acquaintance  witli 
divine  things,  sees  the  excellency  of  holiness, 

and  of  all  the  ways  of  holiness,  for  he  sees  the 

22 


326  TEIJE   GRACE   IN   THE   HEART 


beaiitj  and  excellency  of  God,  which  consist 
in  his  holiness ;  and  for  the  same  reason  he 
sees  the  hatefulness  of  sin,  and  of  all  the  ways 
of  sin.  And  if  a  man  knows  the  hatefulness 
of  the  ways  of  sin,  certainly  this  tends  to  his 
avoiding  these  ways  ;  and  if  he  sees  the  love- 
liness of  the  ways  of  holiness,  this  tends  to 
incline  him  to  walk  in  them. 

He  that  knows  God,  sees  that  he  is  worthy 
to  be  obeyed.  Pharaoh  did  not  see  why  he 
should  obey  God,  because  he  did  not  know 
who  he  was,  and  therefore  he  says,  "  Who  is 
the  Lord,  tliat  I  should  obey  his  voice  ?  I  know 
not  the  Lord,  neither  will  I  let  Israel  go,"  Ex- 
odus V.  2.  This  is  signified  to  be  the  reason 
w^hy  wicked  men  work  or  practise  iniquity, 
and  carry  themselves  so  wickedly,  that  they 
have  no  spiritual  knowledge,  as  says  the 
Psalmist,  "  Have  all  the  workers  of  iniquity 
no  knowledge?  who  eat  up  my  people  as  they 
eat  bread,  and  call  not  upon  the  Lord,"  Psalm 
xiv.  4.  And  when  God  would  describe  the 
true  knowledge  of  himself  to  the  people  ol'  Is- 
rael, he  does  it  by  this  fruit  of  it,  that  it  led 
to  hol}^  practice,  "  He  judged  the  cause  of 
the  poor  and  needy ;  then  it  was  well  with 
him.     Was  not  this  to  know  me  ?  saith   the 


TENDS    TO    HOLY    PKACTICE   IN    LIFE.         327 


Lord,"  Jeremiah  xxii.  16.  And  so  the  Apos- 
tle John  informs  ns,  that  the  keeping  of 
Christ's  commands  is  an  infallible  fruit  of  our 
knowing  him  ;  and  he  stigmatizes  him  as  a 
gross  hypocrite  and  liar,  who  pretends  that 
he  knows  Christ,  and  does  not  keep  his  com- 
mandments, 1  John  ii.  3  and  4.  If  a  man  has 
spiritual  knowledge  and  understanding,  it 
tends  to  make  him  to  be  of  an  excellent  spirit.. 
"  A  man  of  understanding  is  of  an  excellent 
spirit,"  Prov.  xvii.  27.  And  such  an  excel- 
lent spirit,  will  lead  to  a  corresponding  beha- 
vior.    And  the  same  appears,  also, 

5.  From  the  more  immediate  consideration 
of  the  2:)rinci2)le  of  grace  itself  ^  from  which  it 
will  he  seen^  that  the  tendency  of  all  Christian 
grace  is  to  jpractice.     And  here. 

Firsts  It  appears  that  all  true  Christian 
grace  tends  to  practice,  because  the  faculty 
which  is  the  immediate  seat  ofit^  is  the  faculty 
of  the  will^  which  is  the  faculty  that  comviands 
all  aman'^s  actions  and  practice.  The  imme- 
diate seat  of  grace,  is  in  the  will  or  disposition. 
And  this  shows  that  all  true  grace  tends  to 
practice  ;  for  there  is  not  one  of  man's  acts 
that  can  properly  be  said  to  belong  to,  or  to 
be  any  part  of  his  practice,  in  any  respect  but 


328  TRUE   GRACE   IN    THE   ITEART 


tliat  it  is  at  the  command  of  the  wilL  AVhen 
we  sj^eak  of  a  man's  practice,  we  have  respect 
to  those  things  that  he  does  as  a  free  and  vol- 
mitary  agent,  or  which  is  the  same  tiling,  to 
those  things  that  he  does  by  an  act  of  his 
will ;  so  that  the  whole  of  a  man's  practice  is 
directed  by  the  faculty  of  the  will.  All  the 
executive  powers  of  the  man,  whether  of  body 
or  mind,  are  subject  to  the  faculty  of  the  will 
by  the  constitution  of  him  who  hath  made 
man,  and  who  is  the  great  author  of  our  being. 
The  will  is  the  fountain  of  the  practice,  as 
truly  as  the  head  of  a  spring  is  the  fountain 
of  the  stream  that  flows  from  it.  And  there- 
fore if  a  principle  of  true  grace  be  seated  in 
this  faculty  it  must  necessarily  tend  to  prac- 
tice ;  as  much  as  the  flowing  of  water  in  the 
fountain,  tends  to  its  flowing  in  the  stream. 

Seco7id^  It  is  the  definition  of  grace ^  that  it 
is  a  principle  of  holy  action. — AYhat  is  grace 
but  a  principle  of  holiness,  or  a  holy  principle 
in  the  heart?  But  the  word  '''' principle^^  is 
relative  to  something,  of  which  it  is  a  princi- 
ple. And  if  grace  be  a  principle,  what  is  it 
a  principle  of,  but  of  action  ?  Principles  t^nd 
actions  are  correlates,  that  necessarily  have 
respect  one  to  the  other.     Thus  the  very  idea 


TENDS   TO   HOLY   PRACTICE   IN   LIFE.         329 


of  a  principle  of  life,  is,  a  principle  that  acts 
in  the  life.  And  so  when  we  speak  of  a  prin- 
ciple of  understanding,  we  mean  a  princij^le 
whence  flow  acts  of  understanding.  And  so 
by  a  princij^le  of  sin,  is  meant  a  principle 
whence  flow  acts  of  sin.  And  in  the  same 
manner  when  w^e  speak  of  a  principle  of 
grace,  w^e  mean  a  principle  whence  flow  acts 
of  grace,  or  gracious  actions.  A  principle  of 
grace  has  as  much  a  relation  to  practice,  as  a 
root  has  to  the  plant  that  it  is  the  root  of.  If 
there  be  a  root,  it  is  a  root  of  something; 
either  the  root  of  something  that  actually 
grows  from  it,  or  that  tends  to  bring  forth 
some  plant.  It  is  absurd  to  speak  of  a  root, 
that  is  the  root  of  nothing ;  and  so  it  is  absurd 
to  speak  of  a  j^rinciple  of  grace,  that  does  not 
tend  to  grace  in  the  practice. 

Thirds  One  more  thing,  by  which  that 
which  is  real  and  substantial,  is  distinguished 
from  that  which  is  only  a  shadow  or  appear- 
ance, is,  that  it  is  effectual.  A  shadow  or 
picture  of  a  man,  though  it  be  ever  so  distinct 
or  well  drawn,  or  give  ever  so  lively  a  repre- 
Bentation,  and  thougli  it  be  the  picture  of  a 
\QYj  strong  man,  or  even  of  a  mighty  giant, 
can   do   nothing.      There  is  nothing  accom 


330  TRUE    GRACE   IN    TIFE   IIEAET 


plished  and  brought  to  pass  by  it,  because  it 
is  not  real,  but  only  a  shadow  or  image.  The 
substance  or  reality,  however,  is  something 
that  is  effectual.  And  so  it  is  with  what  is  in 
the  heart  of  man.  That  which  is  only  an  ap- 
pearance or  image  of  grace,  though  it  looks 
like  grace,  is  not  effectual,  because  it  wants 
reality  and  substance.  But  that  which  is  real 
and  substantial  is  effectual,  and  does  indeed 
bring  something  to  pass  in  the  life.  In  other 
words,  it  acts  itself  out  in  practice.  And  so, 
again. 

Fourth^  The  nature  of  a  principle  of  grace^ 
is  to  1)6  a  principle  of  life^  or  a  mtal  principle. 
This  we  are  everywliere  taught  in  the  Scrip- 
tures. There,  natural  men  who  have  no  prin- 
ciple of  grace  in  the  heart,  are  represented  as 
dead  men,  while  those  that  have  grace  are 
represented  as  being  alive,  or  having  the  prin- 
ciple of  life  in  them.  But  it  is  the  nature  of 
a  i^rinciple  of  life,  to  be  a  principle  of  action 
and  operation.  A  dead  man  does  not  act,  or 
move,  or  bring  anything  to  pass ;  but  in  liv- 
ing persons,  the  life  appears  by  a  continued 
course  of  action  from  day  to  day.  They  move, 
and  walk,  and  work,  and  fill  up  their  time 
with  actions  that  are  the  fruits  of  life. 


TENDS    TO    HOLY    PRACTICE    IN    LIFE.        331 


Fifth^  True  Cliristian  grace,  is  not  only  a 
principle  of  life,  hut  an  exceedingly  jpov: erf  iti 
j^>vinGi])le.  Hence  we  read  of  "the  power  of 
godliness,"  as  in  2  Timothy  iii.  5 ;  and  are 
taught  that  there  is  in  it  a  divine  power,  such 
as  wronglit  in  Christ  when  he  was  raised  from 
the  dead.  But  the  more  powerful  any  prin- 
ciple is,  the  more  effectual  it  is  to  produce 
those  operations,  and  that  practice,  to  which 
it  tends.  Having  thus  shown,  in  general, 
that  all  true  grace  in  the  heart  tends  to  holy 
practice  in  the  life,  I  proceed,  as  was  pro- 
posed, 

II.  To  show  the  sa7)%e  with  respect  to  the 
particular  Christian  graces. — And  here,  I  re- 
mark that  this  is  the  case, 

1.  With  respect  to  a  true  and  saving  faith 
in  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ. — This  is  one  thing 
that  very  much  distinguishes  that  faith  which 
is  saving,  from  that  which  is  only  common. 
A  true  faith,  is  a  faith  that  works  ;  whereas 
a  false  faith,  is  a  barren  and  inoperative  faith. 
And  therefore  the  Apostle  describes  a  saving 
faith,  as  a  "faith  that  worketh  by  love,"  Ga^ 
latians  v.  6.  And  the  Apostle  James  tells  us, 
"  A  man  may  say.  Thou  hast  faith,  and  I 
have  works :  show  me  thy  faith  without  thy 


332       TEUE  GKACE  IN  THE  HEART 


works,  and  I  will  sliow  thee  my  faith  by  my 
works,"  James  ii.  18.  But  more  parti cu- 
larly, 

First^  The  conviction  of  the  understanding 
and  judgment^  which  is  implied  in  saving 
faith,  tends  to  holy  practice.  He  that  has  true 
faith,  is  convinced  of  the  reality  and  certainty 
of  the  great  things  of  religion;  and  he  that  is 
convinced  of  the  reality  of  these  things,  will 
he  influenced  by  them,  and  they  will  govern 
his  actions  and  behavior.  If  men  are  told  of 
great  things,  which  if  true,  do  most  intimately 
concern  them,  and  do  not  believe  what  they 
are  told,  they  will  not  be  much  moved  by 
them,  nor  will  they  alter  their  conduct  for 
what  they  hear.  But  if  they  do  really  believe 
what  they  are  told,  and  regard  it  as  certain, 
they  will  be  influenced  by  it  in  their  actions, 
and  in  view  of  it  will  alter  their  conduct,  and 
will  do  very  differently  from  what  they  would 
if  they  had  heard  nothing.  We  see  that  this 
is  so  in  all  things  of  great  concern  that"appear 
real  to  men.  If  a  man  hears  important  news 
that  concerns  himself,  and  we  do  not  see  that 
he  alters  at  all  for  it  in  his  practice,  w^e  at 
once  conclude  that  he  does  not  give  heed  to 
it  as  true ;  for  we  know  the  nature  of  man  is 


TENDS   TO   HOLY   PRACTICE   IN    LIFE.        333 


such,  that  he  will  govern  his  actions  by  what 
he  believes,  and  is  convinced  of.  And  so  if 
men  are  really  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the 
things  they  are  told  in  the  gospel,  about  an 
eternal  world,  and  the  everlasting  salvation 
that  Christ  has  purchased  for  all  that  will  ac- 
cept it,  it  will  influence  their  practice.  Tliey 
will  regulate  their  behavior  according  to  such 
a  belief,  and  will  act  in  such  a  manner  as  will 
tend  to  their  obtaining  this  eternal  salvation. 
If  men  are  convinced  of  the  certain  truth  of 
the  promises  of  the  gospel,  which  j^romise 
eternal  riches,  and  honors,  and  pleasures,  and 
if  they  really  believe  that  those  are  immense- 
ly more  valuable  than  all  the  riches,  and 
honors,  and  pleasures  of  the  world,  they  will, 
for  these,  forsake  the  things  of  the  world,  and 
if  need  be,  sell  all  and  follow  Christ.  If  they 
are  fully  convinced  of  the  truth  of  the  prom- 
ise, that  Christ  will  indeed  bestow  all  these 
things  upon  his  peoj^le,  and  if  all  this  appears 
real  to  them,  it  will  have  influence  on  their 
practice,  and  it  will  induce  them  to  live  ac- 
cordingly. Their  practice  will  be  according 
to  their  convictions.  The  very  nature  of  man 
forbids  that  it  should  be  otherwise.  If  a  man 
be  promised  by  another,  that  if  he  will  part 


834       TETIE  GEACE  IN  THE  HEAET 


witli  one  pound,  lie  will  give  him  a  thousand, 
and  if  he  is  fully  convinced  of  the  truth  of 
this  promise,  he  will  readily  part  with  the  for- 
mer in  the  assurance  of  obtaining  the  latter. 
And  so  he  that  is  convinced  of  the  sufficiency 
of  Christ  to  deliver  him  from  all  evil,  and  to 
bring  him  to  the  possession  of  all  good  that 
he  needs,  will  be  influenced  in  his  practice  by 
the  promise  which  ofiers  him  all  this.  Such 
a  man,  while  he  actually  has  such  a  convic- 
tion, will  not  be  afraid  to  believe  Christ  in 
things  wherein  he  otherwise  would  seem 
greatly  to  expose  himself  to  calamity,  for  he 
is  convinced  that  Christ  is  able  to  deliver  him. 
And  so  he  will  not  be  afraid  to  forego  other 
ways  of  securing  earthly  happiness,  because 
he  is  convinced  that  Christ  alone  is  sufficient 
to  bestow  all  needed  happiness  upon  him. 
And  so, 

Second^  That  act  of  the  will^  which  there  is  in 
saving  faith,  tends  to  holy  practice.  He  that 
by  the  act  of  his  will,  does  truly  accept  of 
Christ  as  a  Saviour,  accepts  of  him  as  a  Sa- 
viour from  sin^  and  not  merely  as  a  Saviour 
from  \\\Q punishment  of  sin.  But  it  is  impos- 
sible that  any  one  should  heartily  receive 
Christ  as  a  Saviour  from  sin,  and  from  the 


TENDS    TO    HOLT    PRACTICE    IN    LIFE.        335 


ways  of  sin,  if  he  lias  not  willed  and  does  not 
aim,  sincerely,  in  lieart  and  life,  to  turn  from 
all  the  ways  of  sin  ;  for  he  that  has  not  willed 
that  sin  and  he  should  part,  cannot  have 
willed  to  receive  Christ  as  his  Saviour  to  part 
them.  And  so  he,  again,  that  receives  Christ 
by  a  living  faith,  closes  with  him  as  a  Lord 
and  King  to  rule  over  and  reign  in  him,  and 
not  merely  as  a  priest  to  make  atonement  for 
him.  But  to  choose  Christ,  and  close  with 
him  as  a  King,  is  the  same  as  to  yield  in  sub- 
mission to  his  law  and  in  obedience  to  his 
authority  and  commands  ;  and  he  that  does 
this,  lives  a  life  of  holy  practice. 

Thirds  All  the  trice  trust  in  God^  that  is 
implied  in  saving  faith,  tends  to  holy  practice. 
And  herein  a  true  trust  differs  from  all  false 
trust.  A  trust  in  God  in  the  way  of  negli- 
gence, is  what  in  Scripture  is  called  tempting 
God ;  and  a  trust  in  him  in  the  way  of  sin,  is 
what  is  called  presumption,  which  is  a  thing 
terribly  threatened  in  his  word.  But  he  that 
truly  and  rightly  trusts  in  God,  trusts  in  him 
in  the  way  of  diligence  and  holiness  ;  or, 
which  is  the  same  thing,  in  the  way  of  holy 
j^ractice.  The  very  idea  of  our  trusting  in 
another,  is,  resting  or  living  in  acquiescence 


336       TRUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEART 


of  mind  and  heart  in  the  full  persuasion  of  his 
sufficiency  and  faithfulness,  so  as  to  be  ready 
fully  to  venture  on  him  in  our  actions.     But 
they  that  do  not  practise  and  act  upon  the 
persuasion  of  another's  sufficiency  and  faith- 
fulness, do  not  thus  venture.     They  do  not 
enter  on  any  action  or  course  of  action  in  such 
a  confidence,  and   so   venture  nothing,   and 
therefore  cannot  be  said  truly  to  trust.     He 
that  really  trusts  in  another,  ventures  on  his 
confidence.    And  so  it  is  with  those  that  truly 
trust  in  God.    They  rest  in  the  full  persuasion 
that  God  is  sufficient  and  faithful,  so  as  to 
proceed  in  this  confidence  to  follow  God,  and 
if  need  be,  to  undergo  difficulties  and  hard- 
ships for  him,  because  he  has  promised  that 
they  shall  be  no  losers  by  such  a  course ;  and 
they  have  such  a  confidence  of  this,  that  they 
can,  and  do  venture  upon  his  promise,  while 
those  who  are  not  willing  thus  to  venture, 
show  that  they  do  not  trust  in  him.      They 
that  have  the  full  trust  in  God  w^liich  is  im- 
plied in  a  living  faith,  w^ill  not  be  afraid  to 
trust  God  with  their  estates.    It  is  so  w^ith  re- 
spect to  trust  in  men,  that  if  those  w^e  have 
full  confidence  in,  desire  to  borrow  anything 
»f  us,  and  promise  to  pay  us  again,  and  to  pay 


TEXDS    TO    HOLY   PKACTICE    IN    LIFE.        337 


US  an  hundred  fold,  we  are  not  afraid  to  ven- 
ture, and  do  actually  venture  it.  And  so 
those  tliat  feel  full  confidence  in  God,  are  not 
afraid  to  lend  to  the  Lord.  And  so  if  we 
trust  in  God,  we  shall  not  be  afraid  to  venture 
labor,  and  fighting,  and  watching,  and  sufter- 
ing,  and  all  things  for  him,  since  he  has  so 
abundantly  promised  to  reward  these  things 
with  that  which  will  infinitely  more  than  make 
up  for  all  the  losses  or  difiiculties  or  sorrows 
we  may  experience  in  the  way  of  duty.  If 
our  faith  be  saving,  it  will  lead  us  thus  ac- 
tually to  venture  on  God,  in  the  fullest  trust 
in  his  character  and  promises.  And  as  faith 
in  itself,  and  in  all  that  is  implied  in  it,  tends 
to  holy  practice,  so  the  same  is  the  case, 

2.  With  respect  to  all  true  love  to  God. — 
Love  is  an  active  principle  ;  a  princi2)le  that 
we  always  find  is  active  in  things  of  this  world. 
Love  to  our  fellow-creatures,  always  influ- 
ences us  in  our  actions  and  practice.  The 
whole  world  of  mankind  are  chiefly  kept  in 
action  from  day  to  day,  and  from  year  to 
year,  by  love  of  some  kind  or  another.  lie 
that  loves  money,  is  influenced  in  his  practice 
by  tbat  love,  and  kej)t  by  it  in  the  continual 
pursuit  of  wealth.     lie  that  loves  honor,  is 


338       TEUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEAET 


governed  in  his  practice  by  that  love,  and  his 
actions  through  the  whole  of  life  are  regulated 
by  his  desire  for  it.  And  how  diligently  do 
they  that  love  carnal  pleasures,  pursue  after 
them  in  their  practice!  And  so  he  that  truly 
loves  God,  is  also  influenced  by  that  love  in 
liis  practice.  He  constantly  seeks  after  God, 
in  the  course  of  his  life  :  seeks  his  grace,  and 
acceptance,  and  glory. 

Reason  teaches,  that  a  man's  actions  are  the 
most  proper  test  and  evidence  of  his  love. 
Thus  if  a  man  professes  a  great  deal  of  love 
and  friendship  to  another,  reason,  in  such  a 
case,  teaches  all  mankind  that  the  most  proper 
evidence  of  his  being  a  real  and  hearty  friend, 
as  he  professes  to  be,  is  his  appearing  a  friend 
in  his  deeds,  and  not  only  in  his  words ;  and 
that  he  shall  be  willing,  if  need  be,  to  deny 
himself  for  his  friend,  and  to  sufter  in  his  owii 
private  interest  for  the  sake  of  doing  him  a 
kindness.  If  a  man  professes  ever  so  much 
kindness,  or  friendship,  a  wise  man  "will  not 
trust  the  profession,  except  as  he  sees  the  tria^ 
and  proof  of  it  in  the  behavior  ;  unless  in  his 
actions  he  has  found  him  a  faithful  and  con- 
stant friend,  ready  to  do  and  suffer  for  him. 
He  will   trust  to  such  evidence  of  his  love, 


TENDS   TO   HOLT    PRACTICE   IN   LIFE.        339 


more  than  he  will  to  the  greatest  professions, 
or  even  the  most  solemn  oaths  without  it. 
And  so  if  we  see  a  man,  who  by  his  constant 
behavior,  shows  himself  ready  to  take  pains 
and  lay  himself  out  for  God,  reason  teaches, 
that  in  this  he  gives  an  evidence  of  love  to 
God,  more  to  be  depended  on,  than  if  he  only 
professes  that  he  feels  great  love  to  God  in 
his  heart.  And  so  if  we  see  a  man,  who  by 
what  we  behold  of  the  course  of  his  life, 
seems  to  follow  and  imitate  Christ,  and 
greatly  lay  himself  out  for  Christ's  honor, 
and  the  advancement  of  his  kingdom  in  the 
world,  reason  teaches  that  he  gives  greater 
evidence  of  the  sincerity  and  strength  of  his 
love  to  the  Saviour,  than  if  he  only  declares 
that  he  loves  him,  and  tells  how  his  heart  at 
such  and  such  a  time  was  drawn  out  in  love 
to  him,  while  at  the  same  time  he  is  back- 
ward to  do  any  great  matter  for  Christ,  or  to 
put  himself  out  of  the  way  for  the  promotion 
of  his  kingdom,  and  is  ready  to  excuse  him- 
self when  called  to  active  effort  or  self-denial 
for  his  Saviour's  sake. 

There  are  various  ways  for  the  exercise  of 
sincere  love  to  God,  and  they  all  tend  to  holy 
practice.     One  is  in  having  a  high  esteem  for 


34:0  TETJE   GRACE   l.V   THE   HEART 


God,  for  that  which  we  love  we  liave  the  high 
est  esteem  for,  and  naturally  show  this  esteem 
in  our  behavior.  Another  way  of  showing  our 
love  to  God,  is,  in  making  choice  of  him  above 
all  other  things  ;  and  if  we  do  sincerely  choose 
him  above  all  other  things,  then  we  shall  ac- 
tually leave  other  things  for  him  when  it 
comes  to  the  trial  in  our  practice  :  and  when 
in  the  course  of  our  life  it  comes  to  pass,  that 
God  and  our  honor,  or  God  and  our  money,  or 
God  and  our  ease,  are  at  the  same  time  set 
before  us,  so  that  we  must  cleave  to  the  one 
and  forsake  the  other,  then  if  we  really  choose 
God  above  these  other  things,  we  shall  in  our 
practice  cleave  to  God  and  let  these  things  go. 
Another  way  of  the  exercise  of  love  to  God 
is,  in  our  desires  after  him ;  and  these,  also, 
tend  to  practice.  He  that  really  has  earnest 
desires  after  God,  with  be  stirred  up  actively 
to  seek  after  him.  He  will  apply  himself  to 
it  as  a  business,  just  as  men  do  for  this  world, 
wdien  they  have  earnest  desires  for  ..a  good 
which  they  believe  is  attainable.  And  still 
another  way  of  the  exercise  of  love  to  God, 
is,  in  delighting  in  him,  and  finding  satisfac- 
tion and  happiness  in  him  ;  and  this  also  tends 
to  practice.    He  that  really  and  sincerely  de- 


TENDS    TO    HOLY    PRACTICE    IN    LIFE.         34:1 


lights  more  in  God  than  in  other  things^  ar.."*. 
finds  his  satisfaction  in  God,  will  not  forsake 
God  for  other  things  ;  and  thns,  by  his  con- 
duct, he  shows  that  he  indeed  is  satisfied  in 
him  as  his  portion.  And  so  it  is  in  all  cases. 
If  we  have  had  enjoyment  in  any  possession 
whatever,  and  then  afterward  forsake  it  for 
something  else,  this  is  an  evidence  that  we 
were  not  fnlly  satisfied  with  it,  and  that  we 
did  not  delight  in  it  above  all  other  things. 
In  all  these  cases,  the  feelings  and  choices  will 
be  seen  in  the  practice. 

3.  All  true  and  saving  repentance  tends  to 
holy  practice. — In  the  original  of  the  New 
Testament,  the  word  commonly  rendered  "  re- 
pentance," signifies  a  change  of  the  Tnindy 
and  men  are  said  to  repent  of  sin,  when 
they  change  their  minds  with  respect  to  it,  so 
that  though  formerly  they  esteemed  and  ap- 
proved of  it,  they  now  utterly  disapprove  and 
dislike  it.  But  such  a  change  of  the  mind, 
must  and  does  tend  to  a  corresponding  change 
of  the  practice.  We  see  it  to  be  so  universally 
in  other  things.  If  a  man  has  heretofore  been 
engaged  in  any  jDursuit  or  business  whatever, 
and  then  changes  his  mind  upon  it,  he  will 
change  his  practice  also,  and  will  cease  from 
23 


342       TRUE  GKACE  IN  THE  HEART 


that  business,  or  piirsuit,  or  way  of  life,  and 
turn  his  hand  to  some  other.  Sorrow  for  sin 
is  one  thing  belonging  to  saving  repentance. 
But  sorrow  for  sin,  if  it  be  thorough  and  sin- 
cere, will  tend,  in  practice,  to  the  forsaking 
of  sin.  And  so  it  is  in  everything.  If  a  man 
has  long  gone  on  in  any  one  way  or  manner 
of  behavior,  and  afterwards  is  convinced  of 
the  foolishness  and  sinfulness  of  it,  and  is 
heartily  sorry  and  grieved  for  it,  the  natural 
and  necessary  effect  of  this  will  be,  that  he 
will  avoid  it  for  the  future.  And  if  he  goes 
on  in  it  just  as  he  did  before,  no  one  will  be- 
lieve that  he  is  heartily  sorry  for  having  gone 
on  in  time  past.     Again, 

4.  All  true  humility  tends  to  holy  practice. — 
This  is  a  grace  abundantly  recommended  and 
insisted  on  in  the  Bible,  and  which  is  often 
spoken  of  as  distinguishing  a  true  Christian 
experience  from  that  which  is  counterfeit. 
But  this  grace  in  the  heart,  has  a  direct  ten- 
dency to  holy  practice  in  the  life.  A  humble 
heart  tends  to  a  humble  behavior.  He  that  is 
sensible  of  his  own  littleness,  and  nothingness, 
and  exceeding  unworthiness,  will  be  disposed, 
by  a  sense  of  it,  to  carry  himself  accordiiigly 
both  before  God  and  man.     He  that  once  was 


TENDS    TO    HOLY    PKACTICE    IN    LIFE.        343 


of  a  proud  heart,  and  under  the  dominion  of 
pride  in  his  conduct,  if  afterward  he  has  his 
heart  clianged  to  a  humble  heart,  will  neces- 
sarily have  a  corresponding  change  in  his 
behavior.  He  will  no  longer  appear  in  his 
demeanor  as  proud,  and  scornful,  and  ambi- 
tious as  once  he  was,  affecting,  as  much  as 
ev^er,  to  appear  above  others,  and  striving  as 
much  after  it,  and  as  aj^t  to  condemn  others, 
and  to  be  dissatisfied  or  even  enraged  with 
those  that  seem  to  stand  in  the  way  of  his 
earthly  glory.  For  that  which  such  a  beha- 
vior in  him  rose  from,  before  he  was  changed, 
was  pride  of  heart ;  and  therefore  if  now  there 
be  a  great  alteration  with  respect  to  this  pride 
of  heart,  and  it  be  mortified  and  banished 
from  the  soul,  and  humility  implanted  in  its 
place,  surely  there  will  be  an  alteration,  also, 
in  tlie  demeanor  and  practice  ;  for  humility 
of  heart  is  a  principle  that  has  as  strong  a 
tendency  to  practice  as  pride  of  heart  has,  and 
therefore  if  the  latter  be  mortified,  and  the 
former  take  its  place,  then  the  proud  practice 
that  proceeded  from  the  former  will  propor- 
tionably  cease,  and  the  humble  practice  which 
is  the  natural  fruit  of  tlie  latter,  will  be  mani- 
fest. 


344:  TKCJE    GEACE    IN    THE    HEAET 


True  Cliristian  humility  of  heart  tends, also, 
to  make  persons  resigned  to  the  will  of  God, 
and  to  lead  them  to  be  ^^atientand  submissive 
to  his  holy  hand  under  the  afflictions  he  may 
send,  and  to  be  filled  with  deep  reverence 
toward  the  Deity,  and  to  treat  divine  things 
with  the  highest  respect.  It  leads,  also,  to  a 
meek  behavior  toward  men,  making  us  con- 
descending to  inferiors,  respectful  to  superiors, 
and  toward  all  gentle,  peaceful,  easy  to  be 
entreated,  not  self-willed,  not  envious  of  others 
but  contented  with  our  own  condition,  of  a 
calm  and  quiet  spirit,  not  disposed  to  resent 
injuries,  but  apt  to  forgive.  And  surely  these 
are  traits  that  belong  to  holy  practice.  And 
BO  again, 

5.  All  true  fear  of  God  tends  to  holy  prac- 
tice.— The  principal  thing  meant  in  the  Scrip- 
tures by  the  fear  of  God,  is  a  holy  solicitude 
or  dread  lest  we  should  offend  God  by  sinning 
against  him.  E"ow  if  a  man  do  truly  fear  to 
offend  God,  and  if  he  habitually  dreads  the 
thought  of  sinning  against  him,  this  will  surely 
tend  to  his  avoiding  sin  against  him.  That 
which  men  are  afraid  of  they  will  shun.  If  a 
man  professes  that  he  is  afraid  and  has  a 
dread  of  a  poisonous  serpent,  for  example,  but 


TENDS    TO    HOLY   PRACTICE    IN    LIFE.         345 


at  the  same  time  is  seen  to  take  no  care  to 
shun  him,  but  is  very  bold  to  keep  near  to 
him,  who  will  believe  his  profession  ?  Tear- 
ing God  and  observing  to  do  all  his  command- 
ments, are  joined  together  as  necessarily  aris- 
ing the  one  from  the  other,  as  in  Deuteronomy 
xxviii.  58.  "If  thou  wilt  not  observe  to  do 
all  the  words  of  this  law,  that  are  written  in 
this  book,  that  thou  mayest  fear  this  glorious 
and  fearful  name,  the  Lord,  thy  God."  And 
Joseph  gives  as  a  reason  of  his  righteous  and 
merciful  conduct  towards  his  brethren,  that 
he  feared  God,  as  may  be  seen  in  Genesis 
xlii.  18.  And  in  Proverbs  viii.  13,  it  is  said, 
that  "  the  fear  of  the  Lord  is  to  hate  evil." 
Job  gives  it  as  a  reason  why  he  avoided  sin, 
that  "  destruction  from  God  was  a  terror  to 
him,"  Job  xxxi.  23.  And  God  himself,  when 
he  speaks  of  Job  as  "  eschewing  evil,"  men- 
tions his  fear  of  God  as  the  ground  and  reason 
of  it.  Job  i.  8.  And  in  any  person  whatever, 
just  so  far  as  the  fear  of  God  reigns,  just  so 
far  will  it  lead  its  possessor  to  avoid  sin,  and 
to  aim  to  be  holy.     Again, 

6.  TJie  sj)irit  of  thankfulness  and  praise 
tends  to  holy  practice. — Sincere  thankfulness 
to  God  leads  us  to  render  again  according  to 


346       TRUE  GKACE  IN  THE  HEART 


the  benefits  received.  This  we  look  upon  as 
a  sure  evidence  of  true  gratitude  or  thankful- 
ness toward  our  fellow-men.  If  any  one  does 
his  neighbor  any  remarkable  kindness,  and  he 
is  really  thankful  for  it,  he  will  be  ready,  when 
an  occasion  offers,  to  do  him  a  good  in  return. 
And  though  we  cannot  requite  God's  kindness 
to  us  by  doing  anything  that  shall  be  profita- 
ble to  him,  yet  a  spirit  of  thankfulness  will 
dispose  us  to  do  what  we  can  which  is  well- 
l^leasing  or  acceptable  to  him,  or  which  may 
tend  to  his  declarative  glory.  If  one  man 
should  take  pity  on  another  who  was  in  some 
great  distress,  or  in  danger  of  some  terrible 
death,  and  moved  by  this  pity  should  greatly 
lay  himself  out  for  his  defence  and  deliver- 
ance, and  should  undergo  great  hardships  and 
suiferings  in  order  to  it,  and  by  these  means 
should  actually  deliver  him,  and  if  the  latter 
should  express  great  thankfulness  toward  his 
deliverer,  and  yet  in  his  actions  and  course 
of  conduct  should  oppose  and  dishonor  and 
cast  contempt  upon  him,  and  do  him  great 
injury,  no  one  would  give  much  heed  to  all 
his  professions  of  thankfulness.  If  he  is  truly 
thankful,  he  will  never  act  thus  wickedly 
toward  his  benefactor.     And  so  no  man  can 


TENDS    TO    HOLY    PEACTICE    IN    LIFE.        347 


be  truly  thankful  to  God  for  the  dying  love 
of  Christ,  and  for  the  infinite  mercy  and  love 
of  God  toward  himself,  and  yet  lead  a  wicked 
life.  His  gratitude,  if  sincere,  will  lead  him 
to  be  holy.     The  same  is  true,  again, 

7.  Of  a  Christian  weanedness  from  the 
worlds  and  of  heavenly-inindedness^  that  they 
tend  to  holy  practice. — And  I  speak  of  the  two 
together,  for  they  are  very  much  the  same 
thing  expressed  negatively  and  positively. 
"Not  to  be  weaned  from  the  world,  is  the  same 
thing  as  to  be  worldly-minded  ;  and  on  the 
other  hand,  to  have  a  truly  Christian  weaned- 
ness from  the  world,  is  to  be  not  worldly,  but 
heavenly-minded.  And  this  grace,  like  all 
the  others  mentioned,  tends  to  holy  practice. 
If  the  heart  be  taken  off  from  the  world,  it 
will  tend  to  take  off  the  pursuits  from  the 
world ;  and  if  the  heart  be  set  on  heavenly 
tilings,  which  are  things  not  of  the  world,  it 
will  tend  to  lead  us  to  pursue  the  things  that 
are  heavenly.  He  that  has  his  heart  loose 
from  the  world,  will  not  practically  keep  the 
world  close  in  his  grasp,  as  being  exceeding 
loth  to  part  with  any  of  it.  If  a  man  speak- 
ing of  his  experience,  tells  how  at  some  given 
time  he  felt  his  heart  weaned  from  the  world, 


348       TRUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEART 


80  tliat  the  world  seemed  as  nothing  and 
vanity  to  him,  and  yet  if  in  practice  he  seems 
as  violent  after  tlie  world  as  ever,  and  a  great 
deal  more  earnest  after  it  than  he  is  after 
heavenly  things,  snch  as  grv>wth  in  grace,  and 
in  the  knowledge  of  God,  and  in  duty,  then 
his  profession  will  have  but  little  weight  in 
comparison  with  his  practice.  And  so  if  his 
conduct  shows  that  he  thinks  more  of  treasure 
on  earth  than  of  treasure  in  heaven,  and  if 
when  he  has  got  the  world,  or  some  part  of  it, 
he  hugs  it  close,  and  appears  exceedingly  re- 
luctant to  let  even  a  little  of  it  go  for  pious 
and  charitable  uses,  though  God  promises  him 
a  thousand-fold  more  in  heaven  for  it,  he 
gives  not  the  least  evidence  of  his  being 
weaned  from  the  world,  or  that  he  prefers 
heavenly  things  to  the  things  of  the  world. 
Judging  by  his  practice,  there  is  sad  reason 
to  believe  that  his  profession  is  in  vain.  The 
same  is  true,  also^ 

8.  Of  the  sjyirit  of  ChrUtian  love  -to  men^ 
that  this  also  tends  to  holy  practice. — If  the 
spirit  of  love  to  man  be  sincere,  it  will  tend 
to  the  practice  and  deeds  of  love.  That  is  a 
hypocritical,  and  not  a  sincere  love,  that  ap- 
pears only  in  word  and  tongue,  and  not  in 


TENDS    TO    HOLY    PRACTICE    IN    LIFE.        349 


deed  ;  but  that  love  which  is  sincere,  and 
really  a  true  love,  will  be  manifest  in  the 
deeds,  as  says  the  Apostle,  "My  little  chil- 
dren, let  us  not  love  in  word,  neither  in  tongue, 
but  in  deed  and  in  truth.  And  hereby  we 
know  that  we  are  of  the  truth,  and  shall  assure 
our  hearts  before  him,"  1  John  iii.  18,  19. 
Ko  other  love  to  brethren,  except  that  which 
shows  itself  in  deeds  of  love,  will  profit  anj 
man.  "  If  a  brother  or  sister  be  naked,  and 
destitute  of  daily  food,  and  one  of  you  say 
unto  them.  Depart  in  peace,  be  ye  warmed 
and  filled,  notwithstanding  ye  give  them  not 
those  things  which  are  needful  to  the  body, 
what  doth  it  profit?"  James  ii.  15,  16. 

Experience  shows,  that  those  who  cherish  a 
sincere  love  toward  others,  are  ready  both  to 
do  and  suffer  for  them.  We  are  very  ready 
to  believe  that  jDarents  love  their  own  children, 
because  this  is  natural  ;  and  such  a  love 
generally  prevails  throughout  the  world.  But 
incredible  as  it  is  that  a  man  should  not  love 
his  own  children,  yet  if  there  was  a  father  that 
beheld  his  child  in  suffering  circumstances, 
and  would  not  put  himself  out  of  the  way  to 
relieve  him,  or  that  did  not  ordinarily  treat 
his  children  with  consideration  and  kindness, 


350       TEUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEART 


but  acted  from  day  to  day  as  though  he  were 
utterly  careless  of  their  comfort,  or  as  to  what 
became  of  them,  we  should  scarcely  believe 
that  he  had  anything  of  a  father's  love  in  his 
heart.  Love  to  our  children,  will  dispose  us 
to  loving  deeds  to  our  children.  And  so  love 
to  our  neighbor,  will  dispose  us  to  all  manner 
of  good  practice  toward  our  neighbor.  So  the 
Apostle  declares,  when  after  summing  up  the 
several  commandments  of  the  second  table  of 
the  law,  he  says,  "And  if  there  be  any  other 
commandment,  it  is  briefly  comprehended  in 
this  saying,  namely.  Thou  shalt  love  thy  neigh- 
bor as  thyself,"  and  then  adds,  "  Love  worketh 
no  ill  to  his  neighbor :  therefore  love  is  the 
fulfilling  of  the  law,"  Romans  xiii.  9,  10. 
Once  more,  and  lastly,  the  same  remark  ap- 
plies, 

^.  To  a  true  and  gracious  hojpe^  that  this 
also  tends  to  holy  jpractice, — A  false  hope  has 
a  tendency  just  the  reverse  of  this.  It  tends 
to  licentiousness ;  to  encourage  men  in.  their 
sinful  desires  and  lusts,  and  to  flatter  and  em- 
bolden them  even  when  they  are  in  the  way  of 
evil.  But  a  true  hope,  so  far  from  hardening 
men  in  sin,  and  making  them  careless  of  their 
duty,  tends  to  stir  them  up  to  holiness  of  life, 


TENDS   TO   HOLY   rKACTICE   IN   LIEE.        351 


to  awaken  them  to  duty,  and  to  make  tliem 
more  careful  to  avoid  sin,  and  more  diligent 
in  serving  God.  "  Every  man  that  hath  this 
liope  in  him,  purifieth  himself  even  as  he  is 
pure,"  1  John  iii.  3.  A  gracious  hope  has 
this  tendency  from  the  nature  of  the  happi- 
ness hoped  for,  which  is  a  holy  ha23piness ;  a 
hapj)iness  that  the  more  a  man  seeks  and 
hopes  for,  the  more  he  is  quickened  and  en- 
livened in  the  disposition  to  be  holy.  And  it 
also  has  this  tendency  from  the  respect  it  has 
to  the  author  of  the  happiness  hoped  for ;  for 
it  hopes  for  it  from  God,  as  the  fruit  of  his 
undeserved  and  infinite  mercy,  and  therefore 
by  every  motive  of  gratitude  the  heart  is  en- 
gaged and  stirred  up  to  seek  that  which  is 
well-pleasing  to  him.  And  it  has  the  same 
tendency  from  a  regard  to  the  means  by 
which  it  hopes  to  obtain  this  happiness  ;  for 
a  true  hope  looks  forward  to  the  obtaining  of 
happiness  in  no  other  way  but  the  way  of  the 
gospel,  which  is  by  a  holy  Saviour,  and  in  a 
w^ay  of  cleaving  to  and  following  him.  And 
it  has,  lastly,  the  same  tendency  by  the  influ- 
ence of  that  which  is  the  immediate  source  of 
all  gracious  hope,  which  is  faith  in  Christ,  and 
such  faith  always  works,  and  works  by  love, 


352       TBUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEART 


and  purifies  the  heart,  and  brings  forth  holy 
fruits  in  the  life. 

Thus  it  has  been  shown,  first  by  general 
arguments,  and  then  by  an  induction  of  par- 
ticulars wherein  all  the  principal  Christian 
graces  have  been  mentioned,  that  all  true 
grace  in  the  heart  tends  to  holy  practice  in 
the  life,  just  as  truly  as  the  root  of  the  plant 
tends  to  growth  in  the  plant  itself,  or  as  light 
has  a  tendency  to  shine,  or  the  principle  of 
life  to  manifest  itself  in  the  actions  of  the 
living  person.  In  the  application  of  the  sub- 
ject, 

1.  We  viay  see  one  main  reason  why  Chris- 
tian practiGe  and  good  worhs^  are  so  abitn- 
dantly  insisted  on  in  the  Scriptures  as  an 
evidence  of  sincerity  in  grace.  Christ  has 
given  it  as  a  rule  to  us,  that  we  are  to  judge 
men  by  their  fruits,  Matthew  vii.  16-20  ;  and 
ho  insists  on  it,  in  a  very  emphatic  manner, 
that  the  one  that  keeps  his  commandments,  is 
the  one  that  truly  loves  him,  John  xiy.  21 ; 
and  declares  that  the  man  that  loves  him,  will 
keep  them,  and  the  man  that  does  not  love 
him,  will  not  keep  them,  John  xiv.  23,  24. 
Hence  we  may  see  the  reason  why  the  Apos- 
tle Paul  so  much  insisted  on  this  point,  declar- 


TENDS    TO    HOLY   PRACTICE   IN   LIFE.         353 


ing  to  those  to  whom  he  wrote,  that  if  any 
pretended  to  belong  to  the  kingdom  of  God, 
and  yet  did  not  keep  God's  commandments, 
they  were  either  hypocrites  or  self-deceivers. 
His  language  is,  "  For  this  ye  know,  that  no 
whoremonger,  nor  unclean  person,  nor  covetous 
man,  who  is  an  idolater,  hath  any  inheritance 
in  the  kingdom  of  Christ  and  of  God.  Let  no 
man  deceive  you  with  vain  words  ;  for  because 
of  these  things  cometh  the  wrath  of  God  upon 
the  children  of  disobedience,"  Ephesians  v. 
5,  6.  "  Know  ye  not  that  the  unrighteous 
shall  not  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God  ?  Be 
not  deceived ;  neither  fornicators,  nor  idola- 
.ters,  nor  adulterers,  nor  effeminate,  nor  abusers 
of  themselves  with  mankind,  nor  thieves,  nor 
covetous,  nor  drunkards,  nor  revilers,  nor  ex- 
tortioners, shall  inherit  the  kingdom  of  God," 
1  Corinthians  vi.  9,  10.  "They  that  are 
Christ's,  have  crucified  the  flesh,  with  the  affec- 
tions and  lusts,"  Galatians  v.  24.  "  If  ye  live 
after  the  flesh,  ye  shall  die,"  Romans  viii.  13. 
And  all  this  teaches  us  the  reason,  why  the 
same  thing  is  so  much  insisted  on  by  the 
Apostle  James,  in  various  places  with  which 
you  are  familiar,  and  by  the  Apostle  John, 
more  than  almost  any  other  subject.     It  is 


354:       TRUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEART 


because  God  would  have  it  deeply  impressed 
on  all,  that  good  works  are  the  only  satisfying 
evidence  that  we  are  truly  possessed  of  grace 
in  the  soul.  It  is  by  our  practice  that  God 
judges  us  here  on  earth,  and  it  is  by  our  prac- 
tice that  he  will  judge  ns  all  at  the  great  and 
final  day 

2.  In  view  of  this  siibject  let  all  examhie 
themselves^  whether  their  grace  is  real  and  sin- 
cere.— Let  every  one  diligently  and  j^rayer- 
fully  ask,  whether  their  graces  all  tend  to 
practice,  and  are  seen  from  day  to  day  in  the 
life  and  conduct.  But  here  even  some  truly 
godly  persons  may  be  ready  to  say,  that  if 
they  judge  themselves  by  their  practice,  they 
must  condemn  themselves,  for  they  fail  so 
much  and  so  frequently,  and  are  so  often 
wandering  out  of  the  way,  that  at  times  it 
scarcely  seems  that  they  can  be  the  children 
of  God.  But  to  such  I  answer,  that  persons 
who  try  themselves  by  their  practice,  may  find 
that  they  greatly  fail  every  day,  and  ar-e  often 
wandering  out  of  the  way,  and  yet  they  may 
really  see  no  just  cause  in  their  j)ractice  to 
condemn  themselves.  For  when  we  speak 
of  a  life  of  Christian  practice,  and  when 
the  Scriptures  speak  of  the  course  of  life  as 


TENDS   TO    HOLY   PEA.^TICE   IN   LIFE.        355 


Cliristian,  the  meaning  is  not.  that  the  life  is 
a  perfect  and  sinless  life.  On  the  contrary,  a 
Christian's  life  may  be  attended  with  manj 
and  exceeding  great  imperfections,  and  yet 
be  a  holy  life,  or  a  truly  Christian  life.  It 
may  be  such  a  life  as  to  clearly,  and  even 
necessarily  show,  that  the  grace  which  the 
individual  has,  is  of  the  kind  which  has  a 
tendency  to  holy  practice.  His  fruits  may 
be  such  as  to  be  good  evidence  of  the  good 
nature  of  the  tree,  and  his  works  such  as  to 
show  his  faith.  And  if  you  ask  for  still  fur- 
ther light,  then  I  would  say,  whatever  your 
imperfections  and  failings  may  be,  examine 
yourself  whether  you  find  the  following  evi- 
dences of  your  grace  being  of  that  kind  which 
tends  to  holy  practice. 

First^  Has  your  supposed  grace  such  inilu- 
ence,  as  to  render  those  things  in  which  yoio 
have  failed  of  holy  practice^  loathsome^  griev- 
ous and  humbling  to  you  f  Has  it  such  influ- 
ence in  your  mind  as  to  render  your  past 
sinful  practices  hateful  in  your  eyes,  and  has 
it  led  you  to  mourn  before  God  for  them? 
And  does  it  render  those  things  in  your  co;j- 
duct  that  since  your  supposed  conversion  have 
been  contrary  to  Christian  practice,  odious  in 


S56  TRITE   GRACE   IN    THE   HEART 


3^our  eyes?  And  is  it  tlie  great  burden  of 
jour  life,  that  your  practice  is  no  better  ?  Is 
it  really  grievous  to  you,  that  you  hav^e  fallen, 
or  do  fall  into  sin  ;  and  are  you  ready,  after 
the  example  of  holy  Job,  to  abhor  yourself  for 
it,  and  repent  in  dust  and  ashes,  and  like 
Paul  to  lament  your  wretchedness,  and  pray 
to  be  delivered  from  sin,  as  you  would  from 
a  body  of  death? 

Second^  Do  you  carry  about  with  yon^  ha- 
bitually^  a  dread  of  sin  f  Do  you  not  only 
mourn,  and  humble  yourself  for  sins  that  are 
past,  but  have  you  a  dread  of  sin  for  the 
future  ?  And  do  you  dread  it  because  in  it- 
self it  is  evil,  and  so  hurtful  to  your  own  soul, 
and  offensive  to  God  ?  Do  you  dread  it  as  a 
terrible  enemy  that  you  have  often  suffered 
by,  and  feel  that  it  has  been  a  grievous  thing 
to  you  heretofore?  And  do  you  dread  it  as 
something  that  has  hurt,  and  wounded,  and 
gtung  you,  so  that  you  would  see  it  no  more  ? 
Do  you  stand  on  your  watch  against -.it,  as  a 
man  would  keep  watch  against  something  that 
he  dreads,  with  such  a  dread  as  led  Joseph  to 
Bay,  "  How  can  I  do  this  great  wickedness, 
and  sin  against  God?"  Genesis  xxxix.  9. 

Thirds  Are  you  sensible  of  the  beauty  and 


TENDS   TO   HOLY   PRACTICE   IN   LIFE.        357 


pleasantness  of  the  ways  of  holy  jpracticef 
Do  you  see  the  beauty  of  holiness,  and  the 
loveliness  of  the  ways  of  God  and  Christ  ?  It 
is  said  in  the  text  that  "  charity  rejoiceth  in 
the  truth ;"  and  it  is  given  as  the  character 
of  the  truly  godly,  that  "  he  rejoiceth  and 
worketh  righteousness,"  which  is  the  same  as 
saying  that  "he  rejoices  to  work  righteous- 
ness." And  how  often  does  the  Psalmist 
speak  of  the  law  of  God  as  being  his  delight, 
and  of  his  love  to  the  divine  commandments ! 
Fourth^  Do  you  find  that  you  dojparticularly 
esteem  and  delight  in  those  practices  that  may^ 
hy  way  of  eminence^  he  called  Christian  prac- 
tices^ in  distinction  from  mere  worldly  moral- 
ity f  And  by  Christian  practices  are  meant 
such  as  are  implied  in  a  meek,  humble,  pray- 
erful, self-denying,  self-renouncing,  heavenly 
w^alk  and  behavior.  Some  of  the  heathen 
have  been  eminent  for  many  of  the  moral 
virtues,  and  wrote  excellently  about  them,  as 
for  example,  of  justice,  and  generosity,  and 
fortitude,  &c.  ;  but  they  were  far  from  a 
Christian  poverty  of  spirit  and  lowliness  of 
mind.  They  sought  their  own  glory,  and 
gloried  exceedingly  in  their  outward  virtues, 
and  seemed  to  know  nothing  of  such  a  walk 
24 


358  TKIJE   GRACE   IN   THE   HEART 


as  the  gospel  commands,  a  walk  of  self-empti- 
ness, and  poverty  of  spirit,  and  self-distrust, 
and  self-renmiciation,  and  prayerful  reliance 
on  God,  They  were  strangers  to  nieekness, 
and  did  not  allow,  or  even  dream  that  the  for- 
giveness and  love  of  enemies  was  a  virtue. 
Such  virtues  as  these,  are  peculiarly  Christian 
virtues,  and  Christian  by  way  of  distinctioi] 
and  eminence,  and  of  these  it  is,  that  I  ask, 
if  you  hold  them  in  special  esteem,  for  your 
Saviour's  sake,  and  because  they  are  fraught 
with  his  spirit?  If  you  are  essentially  dis- 
tinguished and  different  in  your  spirit  from 
the  mere  moralist,  or  the  heathen  sage  or 
philosopher,  you  will  have  a  spirit  of  special 
esteem  for  and  delight  in  these  virtues  that 
do  especially  belong  to  the  gospel. 

Fifth^  Do  you  hunger  and  thirst  after  a 
holy  practice  f  Do  you  long  to  live  a  holy 
life,  to  be  conformed  to  God,  to  have  your 
conduct,  day  by  day,  better  regulated,  and 
more  spiritual,  more  to  God's  glory,  and  more 
such  as  becometh  a  Christian  ?  Is  this  what 
you  love,  and  pray  for,  and  long  for,  and  live 
for  ?  This  is  mentioned  by  Christ,  as  belong- 
ing to  the  character  of  tru^  Christians,  that 


TENDS    TO    HOLT    PEACTICE    IN    LIFE.         359 


they  "  hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness.' 
Does  this  trait  belong  to  you  •? 

Sixth,  Do  you  make  a  business  of  endeavor- 
ing to  live  holily,  and  as  God  would  have  you^ 
in  all  respects  f  ]N"ot  only  can  you  be  said  to 
endeavor  after  holiness,  but  do  you  make  a 
business  of  endeavoring  after  it  ?  Is  it  a  mat- 
ter that  lies  with  weight  upon  your  mind.  A 
true  and  faithful  Christian  does  not  make  holy 
living  a  mere  incidental  thing,  but  it  is  his 
great  concern.  As  the  buisness  of  the  soldier 
is  to  fight,  so  the  business  of  the  Christian  is 
to  be  like  Christ,  to  be  holy  as  he  is  holy. 
Christian  practice  is  the  great  work  that  he  is 
engaged  in,  just  as  the  race  was  the  great 
work  of  the  racers.  Is  this  so  with  you  ?  And 
is  it  your  great  aim  and  love  to  keep  all  God's 
commandments,  and  so  far  as  known  to  neglect 
none?  "Then,"  says  the  Psalmist,  "I  shall 
not  be  ashamed  when  I  have  respect  unto  all 
thy  commandments."  Is  this  your  serious, 
constant,  and  prayerful  aim,  that  you  may  be 
faithful  in  every  known  duty  ?  And  once 
more. 

Seventh,  Do  you  greatly  desire  that  you  may 
know  all  that  is  your  duty?  And  do  you 
desire  to  know  it  that  you  may  do  it  ?     With 


360       TEUE  GRACE  IN  THE  HEART. 


the  patriarch  Job,  can  you,  and  do  yon  pray 
to  the  Ahnighty,  '^That  which  I  see  not,  teach 
thon  me,"  adding,  as  he  added,  to  the  great 
searcher  of  hearts,  "If  I  have  done  iniquity,! 
will  do  no  more?" 

If  you  can  honestly  meet  these  tests,  then 
you  have  the  evidence  that  your  grace  is  of 
the  kind  that  tends  to  holy  practice,  and  to 
growth  in  it.  And  though  you  may  fall, 
through  God's  mercy  you  shall  rise  again. 
He  that  hath  begun  a  good  work  in  you,  will 
carry  it  on  until  the  day  of  Jesus  Christ. 
Though  you  may  be,  at  times,  faint,  yet  if 
pursuing,  you  shall  be  borne  on  from  strength 
to  strength,  and  kept  by  the  power  of  God, 
through  faith,  unto  salvation. 


LECTURE  XII. 

CHARITY  OR  A  CHRISTIAN  SPIRIT  WILLING  TO 
UNDERGO  ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF 
DUTY. 

"  Beareth  all  things." — 1  Cor.  xiii.  7. 

Having  in  the  previous  verses  declared 
those  fruits  of  charity  that  consist  in  doing^ 
the  Apostle  now  proceeds  to  speak  of  those 
that  have  reference  to  svffering  /  and  here  he 
declares  that  charity,  or  the  spirit  of  Chris- 
tian love,  tends  to  dispose  men,  and  make 
them  willing  to  undergo  all  sufferings  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  in  the  way  of  duty.  This 
I  suppose  to  be  the  meaning  of  the  expression, 
"  Beareth  all  tilings.'^''  Some,  I  know,  would 
understand  these  words  as  referring  only  to 
the  meek  bearing  of  injuries  from  our  fellow- 
men.  But  it  seems  to  me  that  they  are  rather 
to  be  understood  in  the  sense  here  given,  of 


30 2  CHARITT    WILLING    TO    UNDERGO 


suffering  in  the  cause  of  Christ  and  religion ; 
and  that,  for  the  following  reasons  : — 

Firsts  As  to  bearing  injuries  from  men, 
that  the  Apostle  had  mentioned  before,  in 
Baying  that  "  charity  suffereth  long,"  and 
aG:ain,  in  declaring  that  it  "  is  not  easily  pro- 
voked," or  that  it  tends  to  the  resisting  of  the 
passion  of  anger  ;  and  therefore  there  is  no 
need  to  suppose  that  he  would  use  such  tau- 
tology as  again  to  mention  the  same  thing  a 
third  time. 

Second^  The  Apostle  seems  evidently  to 
have  done  with  the  fruits  of  charity  of  a  more 
active  nature,  and  to  have  summed  them  all 
up  in  the  expression  of  the  previous  verse, 
"rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity,  but  rejoiceth  in 
the  truth."  He  had  been  rehearsing  over  the 
various  points  of  good  conduct  toward  our 
neighbor  which  charity  tends  to,  and  having 
summed  up  these  in  the  above  expression,  he 
now  seems  to  proceed  to  traits  of  another  na- 
ture, and  not  to  be  repeating  the  same  things 
over  in  other  words. 

Thirds  It  is  a  frequent  thing  for  the  Apos- 
tle Paul,  to  mention  suffering  in  the  cause  of 
Christ  as  a  fruit  of  Christian  love  ;  and  there- 
fore it  is  not  probable  that  he  would  omit  so 


ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.       363 


great  a  fruit  of  love  in  this  place,  where  he  is 
professedly  reckoning  np  all  the  important 
fruits  of  love  or  charity.  It  is  common  for 
the  Apostle  elsewhere  to  mention  suffering  in 
the  cause  of  religion  as  a  fruit  of  love  or 
charity.  So  he  does  in  2  Cor.  v,  14,  where, 
after  speaking  of  what  he  had  undergone  in 
the  cause  of  Christ,  on  account  of  which  others 
were  ready  to  say  he  was  beside  himself,  he 
gives  as  the  reason  of  it,  that  the  love  of 
Christ  constrained  him.  And  so,  again,  in 
Rom.  V.  3, 5,  he  gives  it  as  a  reason  why  he  was 
willing  to  glory  in  tribulations,  that  "  the  love 
of  God  was  shed  abroad  in  his  heai't  by  the 
Holy  Ghost."  And  still  again,  he  declares, 
that  neither  tribulation,  nor  distress,  nor  per- 
secution, nor  famine,  nor  nakedness,  nor  peril, 
nor  sword,  should  be  able  to  separate  him 
from  the  love  of  Christ,  Rom.  viii.  35.  Now 
since  suffering  in  the  cause  of  Christ  is  so 
great  a  fruit  of  charity,  and  so  often  spoken 
of  elsewhere  by  the  Apostle,  it  is  not  likely 
that  he  would  omit  it  here,  where  he  is  pro- 
fessedly speaking  of  the  various  fruits  of 
charity. 

Fourth^  The  following  words,  "believeth 
all   things,  liopeth   all   things,  endureth  all 


364  CIIAEITY    WILLING    TO    UNDERGO 


tilings,"  all  show  that  the  Apostle  has  dono 
wdth  those  fruits  of  charity  that  have  chief 
reference  to  our  fellow-men,  as  may  be  mani- 
fest hereafter  when  these  expressions  may  be 
more  fully  considered.  The  doctrine,  then, 
that  I  would  draw  from  the  text,  is. 

That  charity,  or  a  truly  Christian  spirit, 

WILL  MAKE  us  AVILLING,  FOR  ChRISt's  SAKE,  TO 
UNDERGO  ALL   SUFFERINGS    TO  WHICH  WE   MAT  BE 

EXPOSED  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY. — And  ill  clearing 
this  doctrine,  I  would  iirst,  briefly  explain  it, 
and  then  give  some  reason  or  proof  of  its 
truth. 

I.  I  would  eodplidn  the  doctrine. — And  in  so 
doing,  I  remark, 

1.  That  it  iiwplies  that  those  that  have  the  true 
spirit  of  charity.,  or  Christian  love.,  are  willing 
not  only  to  do.,  hut  also  to  suffer  for  Chi'ist. — ■ 
Hypocrites  may,  and  oftentimes  do  make  a 
great  show  of  religion  in  profession,  and  in 
words  that  cost  nothing,  and  in  actions  that 
involve  no  great  difficulty  or  suffering.  But 
they  have  not  a  suffering  spirit^  or  a  spirit 
that  inclines  them  willingly  to  suifer  for 
Christ's  sake.  When  they  undertook  in  re- 
ligion, it  was  not  with  any  view  to  sufl'ering, 
or  with  any  design  or  expectation  of  being  in- 


ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.      365 


jiirecl  by  it  in  their  temporal  interests.  They 
closed  with  Christ,  so  far  as  they  did,  only  to 
serve  a  turn  for  themselves.  All  that  they  do 
in  religions  things,  is  from  a  selfish  spirit,  and 
commonly  very  much  for  their  interest,  as  it 
was  with  the  Pharisees  of  old ;  and  therefore 
they  are  far  from  the  spirit  that  is  willing  to 
meet  suffering,  either  in  their  persons  or  their 
interests.  But  those  that  are  truly  Christians, 
have  a  spirit  to  suffer  for  Christ ;  and  they  are 
willing  to  follow  him  on  that  condition  which 
he  himself  has  given  :  "  Whosoever  doth  not 
bear  his  cross  and  come  after  me,  cannot  be 
my  disciple,"  Luke  xiv.  27.  And  not  only 
are  they  willing  to  suffer  for  Christ,  but, 

2.  It  is  also  implied  in  our  doctrine^  that 
they  have  the  spirit  to  undergo  all  the  suffer- 
ings to  which  their  duty  to  Christ  7)%ay  expose 
them.     And  here, 

First.^  They  are  willing  to  undergo  all  suf' 
ferings,  of  all  kinds^  that  are  in  the  way  of 
duty.  They  have  the  spirit  of  willingness  to 
suffer  in  their  good  name:  for  Christ's  sake 
to  suffer  reproach  and  contempt,  and  to  pre- 
fer the  honor  of  Christ  before  their  own. 
With  the  Apostle  they  can  say,  '-Therefore  I 
take  pleasure  in  infirmities,  in  reproaches,  in 


366  CHARITY   WILLING    TO    UNDERGO 


necessities,  in  persecutions,  in  distresses,  for 
Christ's  sake,"  2  Cor.  xii.  10.  They  have  a 
spirit  to  siiiFer  the  hatred  and  ill-will  of  men, 
as  was  foretold  by  Christ  when  he  said,  "  Ye 
shall  be  hated  of  all  men  for  my  name's  sake," 
Matthew  x.  22.  They  have  a  spirit  to  suffer 
losses  in  their  outward  possessions  ;  as  says 
the  Apostle,  "  Yea,  doubtless,  and  I  count  all 
things  but  loss  for  the  excellency  of  the  knowl- 
edge of  Christ  Jesus,  my  Lord,  for  w^hom  I 
have  suffered  the  loss  of  all  things,"  Philip- 
pians  iii.  8.  They  have  the  spirit  to  suffer  in 
their  ease  and  comfort,  and  to  endure  hard- 
ships and  fatigues  ;  like  Paul,  to  approve 
themselves  faithful,  "  in  much  patience,  in 
afflictions,  in  necessities,  in  distresses,  in 
stripes,  in  imprisonments,  in  tumults,  in  la- 
bors, in  watchings,  in  fastings,"  2  Cor.  vi,  4,  5. 
They  have  the  spirit  to  suffer  pain  of  body, 
like  those  "who  were  tortured,  not  accepting 
deliverance,  and  those  who  had  trial  of  cruel 
mockings  and  scourgings,  and  of  bonds  and 
imprisonment,"  Hebrews  xi.  35,  36.  They 
have  a  spirit  to  suffer  even  death  itself.  "  He 
that  findeth  his  life  shall  lose  it,  and  he  that 
loseth  his  life  for  my  sake  shall  find  it,"  Matt. 
X.  39.     These,  and  all  other  conceivable  suf- 


AXL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.       367 


ferings  in  Mnd  they  are  willing  to  undergo 
for  Christ's  sake,  and  in  the  way  of  duty. 
And  so, 

Second^  They  are  willing  to  undergo  all  suf- 
ferings, of  all  degrees^  that  are  in  the  way  of 
duty.  They  are  like  pure  gold,  that  will  bear 
the  trial  of  the  hottest  furnace.  They  have 
the  heart  to  forsake  all  and  follow  Christ,  and 
comparatively  to  "hate"  even  "father,  and 
mother,  and  wife,  and  cliildren,  and  brethren, 
and  sisters,  yea,  and  their  own  life,  also,"  for 
Christ's  sake,  Luke  xiv.  26.  They  have  the 
spirit  to  suffer  the  greatest  degrees  of  reproach 
and  contempt ;  and  to  have  trial  not  only  of 
mockings,  but  of  cruel  mockings  ;  and  to  bear 
not  only  loss,  but  the  loss  of  all  things.  They 
have  the  spirit  to  suffer  death,  and  not  only 
so,  but  the  most  cruel  and  tormenting  forms 
of  death,  such  as  "  to  be  stoned,  to  be  sawn 
asunder,  and  to  be  slain  with  the  sword,  and 
to  wander  about  in  sheep-skins  and  goat-skins, 
being  destitute,  afflicted,  tormented,"  He- 
brews xi.  37.  The  fiercest  and  most  cruel 
sufferings  in  degree^  they  are  willing  to  un- 
dergo for  Christ.     I  proceed, 

II.  To  give  some  reason  or  2^^" oof  of  the  doc- 
trine. — And  that  it  is  so,  that  they  who  have 


368  CHARITY   WILLING   TO   UNDERGO 


a  truly  gracious  spirit  are  willing  to  undergo 
all  sufferings  that  thej  may  be  exposed  to  in 
tlie  way  of  their  duty,  will  appear  from  the 
following  considerations: — 

1.  If  we  have  not  such  a  spirit^  it  is  an  evi- 
dence that  we  have  never  given  ourselves  unre- 
servedly to  Christ. — It  is  necessary  to  our  being 
Christians,  or  followers  of  Christ,  that  we 
should  give  ourselves  to  him  unreservedly,  to 
be  his  wholly,  and  his  only,  and  his  forever. 
And  therefore  the  believer's  closing  with 
Christ,  is,  often,  in  the  Scriptures,  compared 
to  the  act  of  a  bride  in  giving  herself  in  mar- 
riage to  her  husband  ;  as  when  God  says  to 
his  people,  "  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  for- 
ever ;  yea,  I  will  betroth  thee  unto  me  in 
righteousness,  and  in  judgment,  and  in  loving- 
kindness,  and  in  mercies,"  Hosea  ii.  19.  But 
a  woman,  in  marriage,  gives  herself  to  her 
husband  to  be  his,  and  his  only.  True  be- 
lievers are  not  their  own,  for  they  are  bought 
with  a  price ;  and  they  consent  to  the-.full  right 
that  Christ  has  in  them,  and  recognize  it  by 
their  own  act,  giving  themselves  to  him  as  a 
voluntary  and  living  sacrifice,  wholly  devoted 
to  him.  But  they  that  have  not  a  spirit  to 
suffer  all  things  for  Christ,  show  that  they  do 


ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.   369 


not  give  themselves  wholly  to  him,  because 
they  make  a  reserve  of  such  cases  of  suffering 
as  they  are  not  willing  to  bear  for  his  sake. 
In  those  cases  they  desire  to  be  excused  from 
being  for  Christ  and  his  glory,  and  choose 
rather  that  his  cause  should  be  set  aside  for 
their  own  ease  or  interest,  and  indeed  should 
entirely  give  way  for  it.  But  making  such 
reserves  of  cases  of  suffering,  is  certainly  in- 
consistent with  truly  devoting  themselves  to 
God.  It  is  rather  being  like  Ananias  and 
Sapphira,  who  gave  but  part,  and  kej^t  back 
part  of  that  which  they  professed  to  give  to  the 
Lord.  To  give  ourselves  wholly  to  Christ,  im- 
plies the  sacrificing  of  our  own  temporal  in- 
terest wholly  to  him.  But  he  that  wholly 
sacrifices  his  temporal  interest  to  Christ,  is 
ready  to  sufi'er  all  things  in  his  worldly  inter- 
ests for  him.  If  God  be  truly  loved,  he  is 
loved  as  God ;  and  to  love  him  as  God,  is  to 
love  him  as  the  supreme  good.  But  he  that 
loves  God  as  the  supreme  good,  is  ready  to 
make  all  other  good  give  place  to  that ;  or, 
which  is  the  same  thing,  he  is  willing  to  sufi'er 
all  for  the  sake  of  this  good. 

2.  TJiey  that  are  truly  Christians^  so  fear 
God^  that  his  disjpleasure  is  far  more  terrihU 


370  CHARITY   WILLING   TO   IJNDEEGO 


than  all  earthly  afflictions  and  sufferings. — 
When  Christ  is  telling  his  disciples  what  suf- 
ferings they  should  be  exposed  to  for  his  sake, 
he  says  to  them,  "  Be  not  afraid  of  them  that 
kill  the  body,  and  after  that  have  no  more 
that  they  can  do;  but  I  will  forewarn  you 
whom  ye  shall  fear ;  fear  him,  which  after  he 
hath  killed,  hath  power  to  cast  into  hell ;  yea, 
I  say  unto  you,  fear  him,"  Luke  xii.  4,  5.  And 
so,  again,  it  is  said  by  the  prophet,  "  Sanctify 
the  Lord  of  hosts  himself,  and  let  him  be  your 
fear,  and  let  him  be  your  dread,"  Isaiah  viii. 
13.  JSTow  they  that  are  truly  Christians,  see 
and  know  him  who  is  so  great  and  dreadful  a 
God,'  and  they  know  that  his  displeasure  and 
wrath  are  far  more  dreadful  than  all  the  tem- 
poral sufferings  that  can  be  in  the  way  of  their 
duty,  and  more  dreadful  than  the  wrath  and 
cruelty  of  men,  or  the  worst  torments  that 
they  can  inflict.  And  therefore  they  have  a 
spirit  to  suffer  all  that  can  be  inflicted,  rather 
than  forsake  God,  and  sin  against  him  who 
can  inflict  upon  them  eternal  wrath. 

3.  They  that  are  truly  Christians^  have  that 
faith  whereby  they  see  that  which  is  rnare 
than  sufficient  to  mahe  ujpfor  the  greatest  suf- 
ferings they  can  endure  in  the  cause  of  Christ. 


ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.      371 


-  -Tliey  see  that  excellency  in  God  and  Christ, 
whom  they  have  chosen  for  their  portion, 
which  far  outweighs  all  possible  sufferings. 
And  they  see,  too,  that  glory  which  God  has 
promised  to  them  that  suffer  for  his  sake — that 
far  more  exceeding  and  eternal  weight  of 
glory,  which  their  sufferings  for  Christ's  sake 
work  out  for  them,  and  in  comparison  with 
which,  the  heaviest  sorrows  and  most  endur- 
ing trials,  are  but  "  light  afflictions,  enduring 
but  for  a  moment,"  2  Cor.  iv.  17.  Moses' 
faith  is  given  as  a  reason  why  he  was  willing 
to  suffer  affliction  with  the  people  of  God,  and 
to  endure  reproach  for  Christ's  sake,  because, 
in  the  exercise  of  that  faith,  he  saw  something 
better '  than  the  throne  and  riches  of  Egypt 
laid  up  for  him  in  heaven,  Heb.  xi.  24-26. 

4.  If  we  are  not  willing  to  close  with  reli- 
gion,  notwithstanding  all  the  difficulties  at- 
tending it^  we  shall  he  overwhelmed  with  shame 
at  last. — So  Christ  expressly  teaches  us.  His 
language  is,  "  For  which  of  you  intending  to 
build  a  tower,  sitteth  not  down  first  and 
counteth  the  cost,  whether  he  have  sufficient 
to  finish  it ;  lest,  haply,  after  he  hath  laid  the 
foundation,  and  is  not  able  to  finish  it,  all  that 
behold  it  begin  to  mock  him,  saying,  this  man 


372  CHAJIITT   WILLING    TO   UNDERGO 


began  to  build  and  was  not  able  to  finish ;  or 
what  king,  going  to  make  war  against  another 
king,  sitteth  not  down  first,  and  consnltetli 
whether  he  be  able,  with  ten  thousand,  to 
meet  him  that  cometh  against  him  with  twen- 
ty thousand  ?  Or  else,  while  the  other  is  yet 
a  great  way  off,  he  sendeth  an  embassage, 
and  desireth  conditions  of  peace.  So  likewise 
whosoever  he  be  of  you,  that  forsaketh  not  all 
that  he  hath,  he  cannot  be  my  disciple," 
Luke  xiv.  28-33.  The  sufferings  that  are  in 
the  way  of  our  duty,  are  among  the  difiicul- 
ties  that  attend  religion.  They  are  part  of 
the  cost  of  being  religious.  He,  therefore, 
that  is  not  willing  to  meet  this  cost,  never 
complies  with  the  terms  of  religion.  He  is 
like  the  man  that  wishes  his  house  was  built, 
but  is  not  willing  to  meet  the  cost  of  building 
it ;  and  so,  in  effect,  refuses  to  build  it.  He 
that  does  not  receive  the  gospel  with  all  its 
diflSculties ;  does  not  receive  it  as  it  is  proposed 
to  him.  He  that  does  not  receive  Christ  with 
his  cross  as  well  as  his  crown,  does  not  truly 
receive  him  at  all.  It  is  true  that  Christ  in- 
vites us  to  come  to  him  to  find  rest,  and  to  buy 
wine  and  milk,  but  then  he  also  invites  us  to 
come  and  take  up  the  cross,  and  that  daily 


ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.   373 


that  we  may  follow  him  ;  and  if  we  come  only 
to  accept  the  former,  we  do  not  in  truth  ac- 
cej)t  the  offer  of  the  gospel,  for  both  go  to- 
gether, the  rest  and  the  yoke,  the  cross  and 
the  crown  :  and  it  will  signify  nothing  that  in 
accepting  only  the  one,  we  accept  what  God 
never  offered  to  us.  They  that  receive  only 
the  easy  part  of  Christianity,  and  not  the  dif- 
ficult, at  best  are  but  almost  Christians ; 
while  they  that  are  wholly  Christians,  receive 
the  whole  of  Christianity,  and  thus  shall  be 
accepted  and  honored,  and  not  cast  out  with 
shame  at  the  last  day, 

5.  Without  this  spirit  which  the  text  im- 
plies^ we  cannot  he  said  to  forsalce  all  for 
Christ, — If  there  be  any  one  kind  or  degree 
of  temporal  suffering  that  we  have  not  a  spirit 
to  undergo  for  Christ,  then  there  is  something 
that  we  do  not  forsake  for  him.  For  example, 
if  we  are  not  willing  to  suffer  reproach  for 
Christ,  then  we  are  not  willing  to  forsake 
honor  for  him.  And  so  if  we  are  not  willing 
to  suffer  poverty,  pain,  and  death  for  his  sake, 
then  we  are  not  willing  to  forsake  wealth, 
ease,  and  life  for  him.  But  Christ  is  abun- 
dant in  teaching  us,  that  we  must  be  willing 
lo  forsake  all  that  we  have  for  him,  if  duty 
25 


374  CHAEITT    WILLING   TO   TNDEKGO 


requires   it,  or   we   cannot   be   his  disciples, 
Luke  xiv.  26,  &c. 

6.  Without  this  spirit^  we  cannot  he  said  to 
deny  ourselves  in  the  sense  in  which  the  Scrijy- 
tures  require  us  to  do  it. — The  Scriptures  teach 
us,  that  it  is  absolutely  necessary  to  deny 
ourselves  in  order  to  our  being  the  disciples 
of  Christ.  "Then  said  Jesus  unto  his  disci- 
ples. If  any  man  will  come  after  me,  let  him 
deny  himself,  and  take  up  his  cross,  and  follow 
me  ;  for  whosoever  will  save  his  life  shall 
lose  it,  and  whosoever  will  lose  his  life  for  my 
sake,  shall  find  it,"  Matt.  xvi.  24,  25.  These 
expressions,  as  here  used,  signify  as  much  as 
a  man's  renouncing  himself.  And  the  one 
who  acts  according  to  them  in  his  practice, 
lives  as  though  he  disow^ned  himself  for  Christ. 
He  puts  himself  to  difficulty  or  suffering,  as 
though  he  did  not  own  himself.  As  the  chil- 
dren of  Levi  were  said  not  to  know  or  acknowl- 
edge their  own  relatives  and  friends,  when 
they  put  them  to  the  sword  for  the.ir  sin  in 
making  the  golden  calf,  so  Christians  are  said 
not  to  acknowledge,  but  to  deny  themselves, 
when  they  crucify  the  flesh,  and  undergo 
great  sufferings  for  Christ  as  though  they  had 
no  mercy  on  themselves.     Those  that  will  do 


-^L  SUFFERINGS  IK  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.      375 


contrary  to  the  will  of  Christ  and  his  glo'.y, 
for  the  sake  of  avoiding  suffering,  deny  CbiiGt 
instead  of  denying  themselves.  Those  that 
dare  not  confess  Christ  before  persecutors,  do 
in  fact  deny  him  before  men,  and  are  of  the 
number  of  whom  Christ  says,  that  "  he  will 
deny  them  before  his  father  in  heaven,"  Matt. 
X.  33  ;  and  as  to  whom  the  Apostle  says,  "  If 
we  suffer,  we  shall  also  reign  with  him ;  if 
we  deny  him,  he  also  will  deny  us,"  2  Timothy 
ii.  12. 

7.  It  is  the  character  of  all  the  true  followers 
of  Christy  that  they  follow  him  in  all  things, 
"  These  are  they,"  says  the  beloved  disciple, 
alluding  to  those  about  the  throne  of  God, 
*'  these  are  they  which  follow  the  Lamb  whither- 
soever he  goeth,"  Rev.  xiv.  4.  Those  that 
are  willing  to  follow  Christ  only  in  prosperity 
and  not  in  adversity,  or  only  in  some  suffer- 
ings and  not  in  all,  cannot  be  said  to  follow 
him  whithersoever  he  goeth.  We  read  of  one 
who  said  to  Christ,  while  he  was  on  earth, 
"  Master,  I  will  follow  thee  whithersoever  thou 
goest;"  and  that  Christ  said  to  him,  "The 
foxes  have  holes,  and  the  birds  of  the  air  havo 
nests,  but  the  Son  of  man  hath  not  where  to 
lay  his  head,"  Matt.  viii.  19,  20.     And  by  this 


376  CHARITY    WILLING   TO   rXDERGO 


he  signified  to  him,  that  if  he  "would  follow 
him  wherever  he  went,  he  must  follow  him 
through  great  difficulties  and  sufierings.  Tliey 
that  are  true  followers  of  Christ,  are  of  the 
same  spirit  toward  Christ,  that  Ittai  the  Gittite 
manifested  toward  David,  in  not  only  clinging 
to  him  in  prosperity,  but  also  in  his  adversity, 
even  when  David  would  have  excused  him 
from  going  with  him.  He  said,  "  As  the 
Lord  liveth,  and  as  my  lord  the  king  liveth, 
surely  in  what  place  my  lord  the  king  shall 
be,  w^hether  in  death  or  life,  even  there  also 
will  thy  servant  be,"  2  Samuel  xv.  21.  Of 
such  a  spirit  are  true  Christians  toward  Christ, 
the  spiritual  David. 

8.  It  is  the  character  of  true  Christians^ 
that  they  overcome  the  world. — "Whatsoever 
is  born  of  God,  overcometh  the  world,"  1  John 
V.  4.  But  to  overcome  the  world,  implies  that 
we  overcome  alike  its  flatteries  and  frowns, 
its  sufferings  and  difficulties.  These  are  the 
weapons  of  the  world,  by  which  it  seeks  to 
conquer  us ;  and  if  there  be  any  of  these  that 
we  have  not  a  spirit  to  encounter  for  Christ's 
sake,  then  by  such  weapons  the  world  will 
have  us  in  subjection,  and  gain  the  vi  ^tory 
over  us.     But  Christ  gives   his  servants  the 


ALL  SUTFEEINGS  IN  THE  WAT  OF  DUTY.       377 


victory  over  the  world  in  all  its  forms.  They 
are  conquerors,  and  more  than  conquerors, 
throujrh  him  that  hath  loved  them.  Once 
more, 

9.  The  sufferings  in  the  way  of  duty^  are 
often^  in  the  Bihle^  called  temptations  or  trials^ 
hecause  hy  them  God  tries  the  sincerity  of  our 
character  as  Christians. — By  placing  such 
sufferings  in  our  way,  God  tries  whether  we 
have  a  spirit  to  undergo  suffering,  and  so  tries 
our  sincerity  by  suffering,  as  gold  is  tried  by 
the  fire,  to  know  whether  it  is  pure  gold  or 
not.  And  as  by  the  fire  the  pure  gold  maybe 
known  from  all  baser  metals,  and  from  all 
imitations  of  it ;  so  by  observing  whether  we 
are  willing  to  undergo  trials  and  sufferings 
for  Christ's  sake,  God  sees  whether  we  are 
indeed  his  people,  or  whether  we  are  ready  to 
forsake  him  and  his  service  when  any  difii- 
culty  or  danger  is  in  the  way.  It  seems  to  be 
with  this  view  that  the  Apostle  Peter  says  to 
those  to  whom  he  wrote,  "  Though  now  for  a 
season,  if  need  be,  ye  are  in  heaviness  through 
manifold  temptations,  that  the  trial  of  your 
faith,  being  much  more  precious  than  of  gold 
that  perisheth,  though  it  be  tried  with  fire, 
might  be  found  unto  praise,  and  honor,  and 


378  CHARITY   WILLING   TO   UNDERGO 


gloiy,  at  the  appearing  of  Jesus  Christ,"  1 
Peter  i.  6,  7.  And  again,  "  Beloved,  think  it 
not  strange  concerning  the  fiery  trial  which 
is  to  try  you,  as  though  some  strange  thing 
happened  unto  you  ;  but  rejoice,  inasmuch  as 
ye  are  partakers  of  Christ's  sufferings,  that 
when  his  glory  shall  be  revealed,  ye  may  be 
glad  also  with  exceeding  joy,"  1  Pet.  iv.  12,  13. 
And  so  God  by  his  prophet  declares,  "I  will 
bring  the  third  part  through  the  fire,  and  will 
refine  them  as  silver  is  refined,  and  will  try 
them  as  gold  is  tried  :  they  shall  call  on  my 
name,  and  I  will  hear  them ;  I  will  say.  It  is 
my  people  ;  and  they  shall  say,  the  Lord  is 
my  God,"  Zechariah  xiii.  9. 

In  the  application  of  this  subject,  let  it 
1.  Lead  those  who  think  themselves  Chris- 
tians^ to  examine  themselves^  luhether  or  no 
they  have  the  sjpii'it  to  undergo  all  sufferings  for 
Christ. — It  becomes  all  persons  very  strictly 
to  examine  themselves,  whether  they  are  of  a 
suffering  spirit  or  not,  seeing  such  great  im- 
portance  is  attached  to  such  a  spirit  in  the 
Scriptures.  Though  you  never  have  had  the 
trial  of  having  such  great  and  extreme  suffer- 
ings  laid  in  the  way  of  your  duty  as  many 
others  have  had,  yet  you  have  had  enough..  Id 


ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.       379 


the  course  of  God's  providence,  to  show  what 
your  spirit  is,  and  whether  you  are  of  a  dis- 
position to  suffer,  and  to  renounce  your  own 
comfort,  and  ease,  and  interest,  rather  than 
forsake  Christ.  It  is  God's  manner  in  his 
providence,  commonly,  to  exercise  all  pro- 
fessors of  religion,  and  especially  those  that 
may  live  in  times  of  trial,  with  trials  of  this 
sort,  by  laying  such  difficulties  in  their  way 
as  shall  make  manifest  what  their  spirit  is, 
and  whether  it  be  a  spirit  of  self-renunciation 
or  not.  It  is  often  the  case  with  Christians 
who  are  exposed  to  persecutions,  that  if  they 
will  cleave  to  Christ,  and  be  faithful  to  him, 
they  must  suffer  in  their  good  name,  and  in 
losing  the  good-will  of  others,  or  in  their  out- 
ward ease  and  convenience,  being  exposed  to 
many  troubles ;  or  in  their  estates,  being 
brought  into  difficulty  as  to  their  business  ;  or 
must  do  many  things  that  they  are  exceeding 
averse  to,  and  that  are  even  dreadful  to  them. 
Have  you,  when  you  have  had  such  trials, 
found  in  yourself  a  spirit  to  bear  all  things 
that  come  upon  you,  rather  than  in  anything 
be  unfaithful  to  your  great  Lord  and  Re- 
deemer? And  you  have  the  more  need  to 
examine  yourselves  with  respect  to  this  point, 


380  CHARITY    WILLING    TO    UNDERGO 


for  you  know  not  but  that  before  you  die  you 
may  liave  such  trial  of  persecutions  as  other 
Christians  have  had.  Every  true  Christian 
has  tlie  spirit  of  a  martyr.  And  if  you  have 
not  the  suffering  spirit  in  the  lesser  trials  or 
sufferings  that  God  may  have  sent  upon  you, 
how  will  it  be  if  he  should  expose  you  to  bitter 
persecutions,  such  as  the  saints  of  old  some- 
times were  called  to  endure  1  If  you  cannot 
bear  trials  in  little  things,  how  can  you  possess 
that  charity  wliich  beareth  all  things?  As 
the  prophet  says  in  another  case,  "If  thou  hast 
run  with  the  footmen  and  they  have  wearied 
thee,  then  how  canst  thou  contend  with  horses? 
And  if  in  the  land  of  peace,  wherein  thou 
trustedst,  they  wearied  thee,  then  how  wilt 
thou  do  in  the  swelling'of  Jordan  ?"  Jeremiah 
xii.  5.     Our  subject, 

2.  ExK(yrt8  all  professors  of  religion^  to 
cherish  a  ready  spirit^  for  Chrlsfs  saJce^  to 
undergo  all  sufferings  that  may  he  in  the  way 
of  duty.     And  here  consider, 

First ^  Hoxo  happy  those  persons  are  repre- 
sented in  the  Script ui'es  to  he^  ivho  have  a  spirit 
to  suffer^  and  do  actually  siffer  for  Christ. — • 
"  lllessed,"  says  Christ,  "are  they  w^hich  are 
persec/Uted  for  rigliteousuess'  sake,  for  theirs  is 


ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAY  OF  DUTY.       381 


the  kingdom  of  heaven.  Blessed  are  ye  when 
men  shall  revile  you,  and  persecute  you,  and 
shall  say  all  manner  of  evil  against  you, 
falsely,  for  my  sake.  Hejoice  and  be  exceed- 
ing glad,  for  great  is  your  reward  in  heaven," 
Matt.  V.  10,  12.  And  again,  "Blessed  are 
ye  that  hunger  now,  for  ye  shall  be  filled. 
Blessed  are  ye  that  weep  now,  for  ye  shall 
laugh.  Blessed  are  ye  when  men  shall  hate 
you,  and  shall  separate  you  from  their  com- 
pany, and  shall  reproach  you,  and  cast  out 
your  name  as  evil  for  the  Son  of  man's  sake. 
Bejoice  ye  in  that  day,  and  leap  for  joy,  for 
great  is  your  reward  in  heaven,"  Luke  vi. 
21-23.  And  again,  "  Unto  you  it  is  given,  in 
the  behalf  of  Christ,  not  only  to  believe  on 
him,  but  also  to  suffer  for  his  sake,"  Philippians 
i.  29.  And  again,  "  Blessed  is  the  man  that 
endureth  temptation,  for  when  he  is  tried,  he 
shall  receive  the  crown  of  life,  which  the 
Lord  hath  promised  to  them  that  love  him," 
James  i.  12.  And  again,  "  But  and  if  ye 
suffer  for  righteousness'  sake,  ha23py  are  ye," 
1  Pet.  iii.  14.  And  the  Kew  Testament  is 
full  of  similar  expressions,  all  of  which  may 
encourage  us  in  the  way  of  suffering  for 
Christ.     And  consider,  also, 


382  OHAEITT   WILLING   TO   IIN-DERGO 


Second^  What  glorious  reioards  God  ha^ 
promised  hereafter  to  hestow  on  those  that  do 
xoillingly  suffer  for  Christ. — It  is  said  that 
they  shall  receive  a  "  crown  of  life ;"  and 
Christ  promises,  that  those  that  forsake  houses, 
or  brethren,  or  sisters,  or  father,  or  mother,  or 
wife,  or  children,  or  lands,  for  his  name's  sake, 
shall  receive  an  hundred-fold,  and  shall  in- 
herit everlasting  life,  Matt.  xix.  29.  And 
again  we  are  told,  of  those  who  suffer  for 
Christ's  sake,  that  thej  shall  be  counted  wor- 
thy of  the  kingdom  of  God,  2  Thes.  i.  5 ;  and 
again,  that  it  is  a  faithful  saying,  that  if  we 
suffer  with  Christ,  we  shall  also  reign  with 
him,  2  Timothy  ii.  11,  12;  and  still  again, 
that  if  we  suffer  with  him,  we  shall  also  be 
glorified  together  with  him,  Romans  viii.  17. 
And  we  have,  also,  the  most  glorious  promises 
made  to  those  that  overcome,  and  gain  the 
victory  over  the  world.  '•  To  him  that  over- 
cometh,"  says  Christ,  "will  I  give  to  eat  of 
the  tree  of  life,  which  is  in  the  midst  of  the 
paradise  of  God,"  and  "  he  shall  not  be  hurt 
of  the  second  death;"  and  "to  him  will  I 
give  to  eat  of  the  hidden  manna  ;"  and  "  to 
him  will  I  give  power  over  the  nations;"  and 
"  I  will  give  him  the  morning  star  ;"  and  "he 


ALL  SUTFERTNGS  IN  THE  WAT  OF  DUTY.       383 


shall  be  clothed  in  white  raiment,  and  I  will 
not  blot  out  his  name  out  of  the  book  of  life, 
but  I  will  confess  his  name  before  my  Father, 
and  before  his  angels  ;"  and  "him  will  I  make 
a  pillar  in  the  temple  of  my  God,  and  he  shall 
go  no  more  out,  and  I  will  write  uj)on  him  my 
new  name;"  and  "to  him  that  overcometh 
will  I  grant  to  sit  with  me  in  my  throne,  even 
as  I  also  overcame,  and  am  set  down  with  my 
Father  in  his  throne,"  Eev.  ii.  7, 11, 17,  26,  27, 
28,  and  iii.  5,  12,  21.  Surely  promises  so  rich 
and  abundant  as  these,  should  make  us  will- 
ing to  undergo  all  siiiferings  for  the  sake  of 
Christ,  who  will  so  gloriously  reward  us  for 
them  all.     Once  more,  consider, 

Thirds  How  the  Seriptures  ahound  with 
hlessed  examples  of  those  that  have  suffered  for 
Chris fs  sake. — The  Psalmist,  speaking  of  the 
reproach  and  blasphemy  he  had  suffered  from 
the  enemy  and  avenger,  says,  "  All  this  is 
come  upon  us,  yet  have  we  not  forgotten  thee, 
neither  have  we  dealt  falsely  in  thy  covenant," 
Psalm  xliv.  17,18;  and  again,  "The  proud 
have  had  me  greatly  in  derision,  yet  have  1 
not  declined  from  thy  law ;  many  are  my 
persecutors  and  mine  enemies,  yet  do  I  not 
decline  from  thy  testimonies ;   princes  have 


884  CHAEITT   WILLING   TO   riiTDERGO 


persecuted  me  without  a  cause,  but  mj  heart 
standeth  in  awe  of  thy  word,"  Psahn  cxix.  51, 
157.  161.  And  the  prophet  Jeremiah  spake 
boldlj  for  God,  though  he  was  threatened 
with  death  for  so  doing,  Jer.  xxvi.  11,  15. 
And  Shadrach,  Meshach,  and  Abednego  re- 
fused to  bow  down  and  worship  the  golden 
image  that  the  king  of  Babylon  had  set  up, 
though  they  knew  they  would  be  cast  into 
the  fiery  furnace,  Daniel  iii.  ;  and  Daniel  him- 
self would  still  faithfully  pray  to  his  God, 
though  he  expected  for  it  to  be  shut  up  in  the 
den  of  lions,  Daniel  vi.  But  the  time  would 
fail  me  to  tell  of  Apostles,  and  prophets,  and 
martyrs,  and  saints,  and  of  Christ  himself, 
who  were  faithful  alike  through  good  report 
and  evil  report,  and  in  suiferings  and  trials, 
and  who  counted  not  their  lives  dear,  so  that 
they  might  be  faithful  to  the  end.  "  Where- 
fore seeing  we,  also,  are  compassed  about 
with  so  great  a  cloud  of  witnesses,  let  us  lay 
aside  every  weight,  and  the  sin  which  doth 
80  easily  beset  us,  and  let  us  run  with  jjatience 
the  race  that  is  set  before  us,  looking  unto 
Jesus,  the  author  and  finisher  of  our  faith,  who 
for  the  joy  that  was  set  before  him,  endured 
the  cross,  despising  the  shame,  and  is  set  down 


ALL  SUFFERINGS  IN  THE  WAT  OF  DUTY.   385 


at  the  right  hand'  of  the  throne  of  God,"  Heb. 
xii.  1,  2.  "Fear  none  of  those  things  which 
thou  shalt  suffer.  Be  thou  faithful  unto  death, 
and  I  will  give  thee  a  crown  of  life.'' 


LECTUEE  XIII. 

ALL   THE   GRACES   OF   CHKISTIANITY    CONNECrED. 
"  Believeth  all  things,  hopeth  all  things." — 1  Cor.  xiii.  7. 

In  these  words,  the  Apostle  is  commonly 
understood  to  mean,  that  charity  disposes  us 
to  believe  the  best,  and  hope  the  best  con- 
cerning our  neighbors,  in  all  cases.  But  it 
appears  to  me  that  tnis  is  not  his  meaning  in 
this  j)lace ;  but  rather  that  he  intends  to  say, 
that  charity  is  a  grace  which  cherishes  and 
promotes  the  exercise  of  all  other  graces,  as 
particularly  of  the  graces  of  faith  and  hope. 
Mentioning  the  graces  of  believing  and  hop- 
ing, or  of  faith  and  hope,  the  Apostle  here 
shows  how  the  exercise  of  these  is  promoted 
by  charity.  My  reasons  for  understanding 
the  Apostle  in  this  sense,  are  the  follow- 
ing:— 

First ^  He  had  just  before  mentioned  that 
fruit  of  charity  whereby  it  leads  us  to  think 


GRACES  OF  CHRISTIANITY  CONNECTED.      387 


the  best  of  our  neighbors,  in  saying  that  it 
"  thinhetJi  no  evil  /"  and  we  have  no  reason  to 
think  he  would  repeat  the  same  thing  over 
again  in  these  words. 

Second^  It  seems  plain  that  the  Apostle  had 
finished  speaking  of  the  fruits  of  charity  to- 
ward our  neighbors,  when  he  summed  them 
all  up,  as  we  have  seen,  in  saying,  that  it 
'^rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity^  hut  rejoiceth  in  the 
truth;''''  that  is,  that  it  tends  to  prevent  all 
evil  behavior,  and  to  promote  all  good  beha- 
vior. So  that  in  this  verse  we  might  expect 
him  to  proceed  to  mention  some  fruits  of 
charity  of  another  kind,  such  for  example,  as 
its  tendency  to  promote  the  graces  of  faith  and 
hope,  which  are  such  great  graces  of  the  gospel. 

Thirds  We  find  that  the  Apostle  does,  in 
this  chapter,  more  than  once  mention  the 
three  graces  of  faith,  hope,  and  charity,  to- 
gether, ^.nd  it  is  but  reasonable  to  suppose, 
that  each  time  he  does  so,  he  means  the  same 
three  graces.  In  the  last  verse  of  the  chap- 
ter, we  find  these  three  mentioned  and  com- 
pared together;  and  there,  by  ''faith"  and 
"  hope,"  the  Apostle  plainly  does  not  mean 
believing  or  hoping  the  best  respecting  our 
neighbors,  but   he    does    intend  those   great 


388  ALL   THE   GRACES   OF 


graces  of  the  gospel  that  have  God  and  Christ 
for  their  main  and  immediate  object.  And  so 
when,  in  this  place,  he  mentions  the  same 
three  graces  as  in  the  hast  verse  of  the  chap- 
ter, why  should  we  not  believe  that  he  means 
the  same  three  things  in  the  former  place  as 
in  the  latter,  since  it  is  in  the  same  chapter, 
and  the  same  discourse,  and  in  the  course  of 
the  same  argument.     And,  again, 

Foui'th^  This  view  is  agreeable  to  the  drift 
and  aim  of  the  Apostle  throughout  the  chap- 
ter, which  is  to  show  the  relation  of  charity 
to  the  other  graces,  and  particularly  to  faith 
and  liope.  This  is  what  the  Apostle  is  aiming 
at  in  all  that  he  says  ;  and  therefore  when  he 
comes  to  the  conclusion  of  the  matter  in  the 
last  verse,  and  says  that  of  faith,  hope,  and 
charity,  the  last  is  the  greatest,  he  seems  to 
have  reference  to  what  he  had  said  in  the 
words  of  the  text,  viz. :  that  charity  "  believ- 
eth  all  things,  and  hopeth  all  things,"  mean- 
ing that  charity  is  greater  than  the  other  two, 
as  it  has  the  most  effectual  influence  in  produ- 
cing them,  and  is  that  by  which  they  are 
cherished  and  promoted  in  the  soul.  For 
these  reasons,  the  doctrine  I  would  draw  from 
the  text,  is  this  : — 


CHRISTIANITY   CONNECTED.  389 


That  the  graces  of  Christianity  are  all 
connected  together  and  mutually  depend- 
ENT ON  EACH  OTHER. — ^That  is,  tliej  are  all 
linked  together,  and  united  one  to  another 
and  within  another,  as  the  links  of  a  chain 
are  ;  and  one  does,  as  it  were,  hang  on  an- 
other, from  one  end  of  the  chain  to  the  other, 
so  that  if  one  link  be  broken,  all  fall  to  the 
ground,  and  the  whole  ^ceases  to  be  of  any 
effect.  And  in  unfolding  this  thought,  I 
would,  first,  briefly  ex23lain  how  the  graces  of 
Christianity  are  all  connected,  and  then  give 
some  reasons  why  they  are  so.    And  I  would, 

I.  Briefly  explain  the  manner  in  which  the 
graces  of  Christianity  are  connected.  And 
this  may  be  shown  in  three  things  : — ■ 

1.  All  the  graces  of  Christianity  always  go 
together. — ^They  so  go  together,  that  where 
there  is  one,  there  are  all,  and  where  one  is 
wanting,  all  are  wanting.  Where  there  is 
faith,  there  are  love,  and  hope,  and  humility  ; 
and  where  there  is  love,  there  is  also  trust; 
and  where  there  is  a  holy  trust  in  God,  there 
is  love  to  Crod  ;  and  where  there  is  a  gracious 
hope,  there  also  is  a  holy  fear  of  God.  "The 
Lord  taketh  pleasure  in  them  that  fear  him  ; 
in  those  tliat  hope  in  his  mercy,"  Psalm  cxlvii 
26 


390  ALL   THE    GRACES   OF 


11.  Where  there  is  love  to  God,  there  is  a 
gracious  love  to  man  ;  and  where  there  is  a 
Christian  love  to  man,  there  is  love  to  God. 
Hence  we  find  that  the  Apostle  John,  at  one 
time  gives  love  to  the  brethren  as  a  sign  of 
love  to  God,  saying,  "  If  a  man  say,  T  love 
God,  and  hateth  liis  brother,  he  is  a  liar," 
1  John  iv.  20  ;  and  then,  again,  speaks  of  love 
to  God,  as  a  sign  of  love  to  the  brethren,  say- 
ing, "By  this  we  know  that  we  love  the  chil- 
dren of  God,  when  we  love  God  and  keep  his 
commandments,"  1  John  v.  2.  It  is,  also, 
true, 

2.  That  the  graces  of  Christianity  depend 
upon  one  another. — ^There  is  not  only  a  con- 
nection, whereby  they  are  always  joined  to- 
gether, but  there  is  also  a  mutual  dependence 
between  them,  so  that  one  cannot  be  without 
the  others.  To  deny  one,  would  in  effect  be, 
to  deny  another,  and  so  all ;  just  as  to  deny 
the  cause,  would  be  to  deny  the  effect,  or  to 
deny  the  effect,  would  be  to  deny  tke  cause. 
Faith  ])romotes  love,  and  love  is  the  most 
effectual  ino^redient  in  a  livino^  faith.  Love 
is  dependent  on  faith ;  for  a  being  cannot  be 
truly  loved,  and  especially  loved  above  all 
other  beings,  who  is  not  looked  upon  as  a  j-eal 


CHRISTIANITY    CONNECTED.  391 


being.  And  then  love,  again,  enlarges  and 
promotes  faith,  because  we  are  more  apt  to  be- 
be^'C  and  give  credit  to,  and  more  disposed  to 
trust  in  those  we  love,  than  in  those  we  do 
not.  So  faith  begets  hope,  for  faith  sees  and 
trusts  in  God's  sufficiency  to  bestow  blessings, 
and  in  his  faithfulness  to  his  promises,  that 
he  will  do  what  he  lias  said.  All  gracious 
hope,  is  hope  resting  on  faith  ;  and  hope  en- 
courages, and  draws  forth  acts  of  faith.  And 
so  love  tends  to  hope,  for  the  spirit  of  love  is 
the  S23irit  of  a  child,  and  the  more  any  one 
feels  in  himself  this  spirit  toward  God,  the 
more  natural  it  will  be  to  him  to  look  to  God, 
and  go  to  God  as  his  father.  This  childlike 
spirit  casts  out  the  spirit  of  bondage  and  fear, 
and  gives  tlie  spirit  of  adoption,  which  is  the 
spirit  of  confidence  and  hope.  "  Ye  have  not 
received  tlie  spirit  uf  bondage  again,  to  fear  ; 
but  ye  have  received  the  spirit  of  adoption, 
whereby  we  cry,  Abba,  Father,"  Rom.  viii. 
15  ;  and  the  Apostle  John  tells  us,  "Tliere  is 
no  fear  in  love,  but  perfect  love  casteth  out 
fear,"  1  John  iv.  18.  And  so,  again,  a  true 
and  genuine  hope  tends  greatly  to  promote 
love.  When  a  Christian  has  most  of  a  right 
Lope  of  his   interest  in  God's  favor,  and  in 


392  ALL   THE   GRACES   OF 


those  eternal  blessings  that  are  its  fruits,  this 
tends  to  draw  forth  the  exercise  of  love,  and 
oftentimes  does  draw  it  forth  ;  as  says  the 
Apostle  Paul,  "  Tribulation  worketh  patience, 
and  patience  experience,  and  experience  hope, 
and  hope  maketh  not  ashamed,  because  the 
love  of  God  is  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts," 
Jlom.  V.  3-5. 

Faith,  too,  promotes  humility  ;  for  the  more 
entirely  any  one  depends  on  God's  sufficiency, 
the  more  will  it  tend  to  a  low  sense  of  his  own 
sufficiency.  And  so  humility  tends  to  pro- 
mote faith;  for  the  more  any  one  has  an 
humble  sense  of  his  own  insufficiency,  the 
more  will  his  heart  be  disposed  to  trust  only 
on  God,  and  to  depend  entirely  on  Christ. 
So  love  promotes  humility ;  for  the  more  the 
heart  is  ravished  with  God's  loveliness,  the 
more  will  it  abhor  itself,  and  abase  and  hum- 
ble itself  for  its  own  unloveliness  and  vileness. 
Humility  promotes  love;  for  the  more  any 
one  has  an  humble  sense  of  his  own  unworthi- 
noss,  the  more  will  he  admire  God's  goodness 
to  him,  and  the  more  will  his  heart  be  drawn 
out  in  love  to  him  fur  his  glorious  grace. 
Luve  tends  to  repentance  ;  for  he  that  tiai/ 
repents  of  sin,  repent?  of  it  because  it  is  com- 


CimiSTIANITT   CONNECTED.  393 


mitted  against  a  being  that  he  loves.  And 
repentance  tends  to  humility;  for  no  one  can 
be  truly  sorry  fur  sin,  and  self-condemned  in 
view  of  it,  without  being  humbled  in  heart 
for  it.  So  repentance,  faith,  and  love,  all 
tend  to  thankfulness.  He  that,  by  faith, 
trusts  to  Christ  for  salvation,  will  be  thankful 
to  him  for  salvation.  He  that  loves  God, 
will  be  disposed  thankfull}^  to  acknowledge 
his  kindness.  And  he  that  repents  of  his 
sins,  will  be  disposed  heartily  to  thank  God 
for  the  grace  that  is  sufficient  to  deliver  him 
from  their  guilt  and  power.  A  true  love  to 
God,  tends  to  love  to  men,  who  bear  the 
image  of  God;  and  a  spirit  of  love  and  peace 
toward  men,  cherishes  a  spirit  of  love  to  God, 
as  love  to  the  image  cherishes  love  to  the  ori- 
ginal. And  so  it  might  be  shown  how  all  the 
graces  depend  one  upon  another,  by  mention- 
ing many  other  particulars.  Humility  cher- 
ishes all  other  graces,  and  all  other  graces 
promote  humility ;  and  so  faith  promotes  all 
other  graces,  and  all  other  graces  cherish  and 
promote  faith.  And  the  like  is  true  of  every 
one  of  the  graces  of  the  gospel. 

3.  The  different  graces  of  Christianity^  are^ 
in  some  respects ^  iniplied^  one  in  another. — 


894  ALL   THE    GRACES   OF 


They  are  not  only  mutually  connected  and 
dependent,  and  each  promotive  of  the  others, 
but  are  in  some  respects  implied  in  the  na- 
ture of  each  other.  In  respect  to  several  of 
them  it  is  true,  that  one  is  essential  to  an- 
other, or  belongs  to  its  very  essence.  Thus, 
for  example,  humility  is  implied  in  the  nature 
of  a  true  faith,  so  as  to  be  of  the  essence  of  it. 
It  is  essential  to  a  true  faith,  that  it  be  an 
humble  faith  ;  and  essential  to  a  true  trust, 
that  it  be  an  humble  trust.  And  so  humility 
belongs  to  the  nature  and  essence  of  many 
otlier  true  graces.  It  is  essential  to  Christian 
love,  that  it  be  an  humble  love ;  to  submis- 
sion, that  it  be  an  humble  submission ;  to  re- 
pentance, that  it  be  an  humble  repentance; 
to  thankfulness,  that  it  be  an  humble  thank- 
fulness ;  and  to  reverence,  that  it  be  an  hum- 
ble reverence. 

And  so  love  is  implied  in  a  gracious  faith. 
It  is  an  ingredient  in  it,  and  belongs  to  its 
essence,  and  is,  as  it  were,  the  very  "soul  of 
it,  or  its  working,  operative  nature.  As  the 
working,  operative  nature  of  man  is  his  soul, 
60  the  working  and  operative  nature  of  faith 
is  love;  for  the  Apostle  Paul  tells  us,  that 
"  faith    workcth    by    love,"  Galatians    v.   6 ; 


CHRISTIAOTTY    CONNECTED.  395 


and  the  Apostle  James  tells  us,  that  faith 
without  its  working  nature  is  dead,  as  the 
body  is  without  the  spirit,  James  ii.  26.  And 
so  faith  is,  in  some  respects,  implied  in  love  ; 
for  it  is  essential  to  a  true  Christian  love,  that 
it  be  a  believing  love.  So  saving  repentance 
and  faith  are  implied  in  each  other.  They 
are  both  one  and  the  same  conversion  of  the 
soul  from  sin  to  God,  through  Christ.  The 
act  of  the  soul  in  turning  from  sin  to  God 
through  Christ,  as  it  respects  the  thing  from 
which  the  turning  is,  viz.:  sin,  is  called  re- 
pentance ;  and  as  it  respects  the  thing  to 
which,  and  the  mediation  by  which  it  turns, 
is  called  faith.  But  it  is  the  same  motion  of 
the  soul;  just  as  when  a  man  turns,  or  flees 
from  darkness  to  the  light,  it  is  the  same  act 
and  motion,  though  it  may  be  called  by  dif- 
ferent names,  according  as  it  respects  the 
darkness  fled  from,  or  the  light  fled  to  ;  in  the 
one  case,  being  called  avoiding,  or  turning 
from,  and  in  the  other,  receiving  or  embracing. 
And  so  there  is  love  implied  in  thankful- 
ness. True  thankfnlness  is  no  other  than  the 
exercise  of  love  to  God  on  occasion  of  his 
goodness  to  us.  So  there  is  love  in  a  true  and 
childlike  fear  uf  God  ;    for  a  cliildlike  fear 


396  ALL    THE    GRACES    OF 


diflcrs  from  a  slavish,  for  a  slavish  fear  has  no 
love  in  it.  And  all  these  three  graces  of  love, 
humility  and  repentance,  are  implied  in  gra- 
cions  childlike  submission  to  the  will  of  God. 
And  so  weanedness  from  the  world,  and  heav- 
enly mindedness  do  consist  mainly  in  the  three 
graces  of  faith,  hope,  and  love.  And  so  a  Cln-is- 
tian  love  to  man,  is  a  kind  of  mediate  or  indirect 
love  to  Christ ;  and  that  justice  and  truth  to- 
wards men  that  are  truly  Christian  graces,  have 
love  in  them,  and  essential  to  them.  Love 
and  humility,  again,  are  the  graces  wherein 
consists  meekness  toward  men.  And  so  it  is 
love  to  God,  and  faith,  and  humility,  that  are 
the  ingredients  of  Christian  patience  and  con- 
tentment with  our  condition,  and  wdth  the  al- 
lotments of  providence  toward  us.  Thus  it 
appears,  that  all  the  graces  of  Christianity  are 
concatenated  and  linked  together,  so  as  to  be 
mutually  connected  and  mutually  dependent. 
I  proceed,  then,  as  proposed, 

JT.  To  give  some  reasons  of  their  hehig  thus 
connected  and  dejpendent.     And, 

1.  They  are  all  from  the  same  source, — All 
the  graces  of  Christianity  are  from  the  same 
spirit;  as  says  the  Apostle,  "There  are  diver- 
sities of  gifts,  but  the  same  Spirit ;  diversities 


CHEISTIANITY   CONNECTED.  397 


of  operations,  but  it  is  the  same  God  which 
worketh  all  in  all,"  1  Cor.  xii.  4,  6.  The 
graces  of  Christianity  are  all  from  the  same 
spirit  of  Christ  sent  forth  into  the  heart  and 
dwelling  there  as  a  holy,  and  powerful,  and 
divine  nature ;  and  therefore  all  graces  are 
only  the  different  ways  of  acting  on  the  part 
of  the  same  divine  nature  ;  as  there  may  be 
different  reflections  of  the  light  of  the  sun, 
and  yet  all  in  origin  the  same  kind  of  light, 
because  it  all  comes  from  the  same  source  or 
body  of  light.  Grace  in  the  soul,  is  the  Holy 
Spirit  acting  in  the  soul,  and  thus  communicat- 
ing his  own  holy  nature.  As  it  is  with  water  in 
the  fountain,  so  here  it  is  all  one  and  the  same 
holy  nature,  only  diversified  by  the  variety 
of  streams  sent  forth  from  it.  These  streams 
must  all  be  of  the  same  nature,  seeing  they 
all  thus  come  from  the  same  source ;  and  the 
difference  of  many  of  them,  whereby  they 
have  different  names,  is  chiefly  relative,  and 
more  from  reference  to  their  various  objects 
and  modes  of  exercise,  than  from  a  real  difler- 
ence  in  their  abstract  nature.     So  also, 

2.  They  are  all  cominunicated  in  the  same 
worh  of  the  Spirit,  namely  in  con/version, — 
There  is  not  one  conversion  of  the  soul    to 


898  AT  J.    THE    GRACES    OF 


faith,  and  another  conversion  to  love  to  God, 
and  another  to  humility,  and  another  to  re- 
pentance, and  still  another  to  love  to  man ; 
but  all  are  produced  by  one  and  the  same 
work  of  the  Spirit,  and  are  the  result  of  one 
and  the  same  conversion,  or  change  of  the 
lieart.  And  this  proves  that  all  the  graces  are 
united  and  linked  together,  as  being  contained 
in  that  one  and  the  same  new  nature  that  is 
given  us  in  regeneration.  It  is  here,  as  it  is 
in  the  first  generation,  that  of  the  body,  in 
which  the  several  faculties  are  communicated 
in  one  and  the  same  generation,  the  senses  of 
seeing,  hearing,  feeling,  tasting,  and  smelling, 
and  so  the  powers  of  moving,  breathing,  &c., 
all  being  given  at  the  same  time,  and  all 
being  but  one  human  nature,  and  one  human 
life,  though  diversified  in  its  modes  and  forms. 
It  is  further  true  of  the  Christian  graces, 

3.  That  they  all  have  the  same  root  and 
foundation^  namely^  the  Tcnoioledge  of  God^s 
excellence. — ^The  same  sight  or  sense  "of  God's 
excellency  begets  faith,  and  love,  and  repent- 
ance, and  all  the  other  graces.  One  sight  of 
this  excellence  will  beget  all  these  graces, 
because  it  shows  tlie  ground  and  reason  of  all 
holy  dispositions,  and   of  all   holy  behavior 


CHEISTIANITY    CONNECTED.  399 


tov/fvi-d  God.  They  that  truly  know  God's 
nnture  v/ill  love  him,  and  trust  in  him,  and 
have  a  spirit  to  submit  to  him,  and  serve,  aod 
obey  him.  "  They  that  know  thy  name,  will 
put  their  trust  in  thee,"  Psalm  ix.  10.  ''  Who- 
soever sinneth,  hath  not  seen  him,  neither 
known  him,"  1  John  iii.  6.  "  Every  one  that 
loveth,  is  born  of  God,  and  knoweth  God," 
1  John  iv.  7.  It  is  also  true  of  the  Christian 
graces, 

4.  That  they  all  have  the  same  rule^  namely 
the  la\o  of  God. — And  therefore  they  must  be 
linked  together ;  for  seeing  they  all  have 
respect  to  this  rule,  they  all  tend  to  confirm 
the  whole  of  the  rule,  and  to  conform  the 
heart  and  life  to  it.  He  that  has  a  true  respect 
to  one  of  God's  commands,  will  have  a  true 
respect  to  all ;  for  they  are  all  established  by 
the  same  authority,  and  are  all  jointly  an  ex- 
pression of  the  same  holy  nature  of  God. 
"  Whosoever  shall  keep  the  whole  law,  and 
yet  offend  in  one  point,  he  is  guilty  of  all ; 
for  ae  that  said.  Do  not  commit  adultery,  said 
also,  Do  not  kill.  Now  if  thou  commit  no 
adultery,  yet  if  thou  kill,  thou  art  become  a 
transgressor  of  the  law,"  James  ii.  10,  11. 

5.  All  the  Christian  graces  have  the  sanne 


400  ALL   THE    GRACES   OF 


end,  namely  God.— lie  is  their  end,  for  they 
all  tend  to  him.  As  they  are  all  from  the 
same  source,  rising  from  the  same  fomitahi ; 
and  all  stand  on  the  same  foundation,  growing 
from  the  same  root;  and  are  all  directed  by 
the  same  rule,  the  law  of  God ;  so  thoy  are  all 
directed  to  the  same  end,  namely  God,  and 
his  glory,  and  our  happiness  in  him.  And 
this  shows  that  they  must  be  nearly  related, 
and  very  much  linked  together.  And  once 
more,  it  is  true, 

6.  That  all  the  Christian  graces  are  aliJce 
related  to  oiie  and  the  same  grace,  namely 
charity,  or  divine  love,  as  the  sum  of  them 
all. — As  we  have  before  seen,  charity  or  love 
is  the  sum  of  all  true  Christian  graces,  how- 
ever many  names  we  may  give  them.  And 
however  difterent  the  modes  of  their  exercise, 
or  the  ways  of  their  manifestation,  if  we  do 
but  carefully  examine  them,  we  shall  find 
they  are  all  resolved  into  one.  Love,  or  char- 
ity, is  the  fulfilling  of  them  all,  and'they  arc 
but  so  many  diversifications,  and  different 
l)ranches,  and  relations,  and  modes  of  exer- 
cise of  the  same  thing.  One  grace  does,  in 
elFect,  contain  them  all,  just  as  the  one  prin- 
ciple of  life  comprehends  all  its  manifestations. 


CHRISTIANITY    CONNECTED.  401 


And  lience  it  is  no  wonder  that  they  are 
always  together,  and  are  dependent  on  and 
implied  in  one  another.  In  the  application 
of  this  subject, 

1.  It  may  aid  us  to  iinder stand  in  what 
sense  old  tilings  are  said  to  he  done  away^  and 
all  tilings  hecome  new  in  conversion. — ^This  is 
what  the  Apostle  teaches  us  is  the  fact.  "  If 
any  man  be  in  Christ,  he  is  a  new  creature  ; 
old  things  are  passed  away ;  behold  all  things 
are  become  new,"  2  Cor.  v.  17.  Now  the 
doctrine  of  the  text  and  what  has  been  said 
under  it,  may  in  some  measure  show  us  how 
this  is  ;  for  by  this  we  learn,  that  all  the 
graces  of  Christianity''  are  at  once  imparted  in 
conversion,  inasmuch  as  they  are  all  linked 
together,  so  that  when  one  is  bestowed,  all 
are  bestowed,  and  not  a  single  one  merely. 
A  true  convert,  the  moment  he  is  converted, 
is  possessed  not  of  one  or  two,  but  of  all  holy 
principles,  and  all  gracious  dispositions.  They 
may  be  feeble  indeed,  like  the  faculties  and 
powers  of  an  infant  child,  but  they  are  all 
truly  there,  and  will  be  seen  flowing  out  j^ro- 
gressively  in  every  kind  of  holy  feeling  and 
behavior  toward  both  God  and  man.  In  every 
real   convert,  there  are  as   many  graces   as 


4:02  ALL   THE    GRACES   OF 


tliere  were  in  Jesus  Christ  liimself,  wliicli  is 
what  the  evangelist  John  means,  when  he  sajs, 
"  The  word  was  made  flesh,  and  dwelt  among 
us,  and  we  beheld  his  glory,  the  glory  as  of 
the  only  begotten  of  the  Father,  full  of  grace 
and  truth ;  and  of  his  fulness  have  all  we  re- 
ceived, and  grace  for  grace,"  John  i.  14,  16. 
And,  indeed,  it  cannot  be  otherwise,  for  all 
true  converts  are  renewed  in  Christ's  image^ 
as  says  the  Apostle,  "And  have  put  on  the 
new  man,  which  is  renewed  in  knowledge, 
after  the  image  of  him  that  created  him," 
Colos.  iii.  10.  But  that  is  no  true  image  or 
picture  of  another,  which  has  some  parts  or 
features  wanting.  An  exact  image  has  a  part 
answerable  to  each  part  in  that  of  which  it  is 
an  image.  The  copy  answers  to  the  original, 
throughout,  in  all  its  parts  and  features,  though 
it  may  be  obscure  in  some  respects,  and  not 
re^jresent  any  part  perfectly,  as  grace  answers 
to  grace.  Grace  in  the  soul,  is  a  reflection  of 
Christ's  glory,  as  appears  by  2  Cor.  iii.  18. 
It  is  a  reflection  of  his  glory,  as  the  image  of 
a  man  is  reflected  from  a  glass  that  exhibits 
part  for  part. 

It  is  in  the  new  birth,  as  it  is  in  the  birth  of 
the  infant  child.     He  has  all  the  parts  of  a 


CHRISTIANITY    CONNECTED.  403 


man,  though  thej  are  as  yet  in  a  very  imper- 
fect state.  Kot  a  part  is  wanting,  but  there  are 
as  many  members  as  to  a  man  of  full  stature 
and  strens^th.  And  therefore  what  is  wrous^ht 
in  regeneration,  is  called  "the  new  man;" 
not  only  new  eyes,  or  new  ears,  or  new  hands, 
but  a  new  man,  possessing  all  the  human 
faculties  and  members.  But  all  the  graces 
of  the  Christian  are  new.  All  of  them  are 
members  of  the  individual  after  conversion, 
and  none  of  them  were  members  before  con- 
version. And  because  there  is,  as  it  w^ere,  a 
new  man,  with  all  these  members,  begotten 
in  conversion,  therefore  Christians  are  said  to 
be  sanctified  wholly,  in  soul,  body  and  spirit, 
as  in  1  Thes.  v.  23.  And  so  old  things  pass 
away,  and  all  things  become  new,  because  as 
the  new  man  is  put  on,  the  old  man  is  put  off, 
so  that  the  man  in  a  sense  becomes  new  all 
over. 

And  if  there  be  all  graces  alive  in  this  new 
man,  it  will  follow  that  all  corruptions  are 
iDortilied;  for  there  is  no  one  corruption  but 
what  has  a  grace  opposite  to,  or  to  answer  it : 
and  the  bestowment  of  the  grace,  mortifies  the 
opposing  corruption.  Thus  faith  tends  to  mor- 
tify unbelief;   love,  to  mortify  eiimity;   hu- 


404  ALL   THE   GRACES   OF 


niilitj,to  mortify  pride  ;  meekness,  to  mortify 
revenge  ;  thankfulness,  to  mortify  a  thankless 
spirit,  &c.  And  as  one  of  these  takes  its  place 
in  the  heart,  the  opposite  gives  Avay,  just  as 
darkness  in  a  room  vanishes  when  a  light  is 
brought  in.  Thus  old  things  pass  away.  Ail 
old  things,  in  a  measure,  pass  away,  though 
none  perfectly  on  earth  ;  and  so  all  things  be- 
come new,  though  also  im23erfectly.  This 
show^s  that  conversion,  whenever  and  wherever 
it  is  wrought,  is  a  great  work  and  a  great 
change.  Though  grace  may  be  very  imper- 
fect, he  must  needs  have  a  great  change 
wa'ought  in  him,  who,  before,  had  no  corrup- 
tion mortified,  and  now  has  all  mortified  ;  and 
who,  before,  had  not  one  grace,  and  now  has 
all  graces.  He  may  well  be  called  a  new 
creature,  or,  as  in  the  original,  a  new  creation 
in  Christ  Jesus. 

2.  Hence ^  also^  they  that  hope  they  have 
grace  in  their  hearts^  7nay  try  one  grace  by 
another,  for  all  graces  go  together. — If  persons 
think  they  have  faith,  and  therefore  think 
they  have  come  to  Christ,  they  should  inquire 
whether  their  faith  was  accompanied  with 
repentance ;  whether  they  came  to  Christ  in 
a  broken-hearted  manner,  sensible  of  their 


CHRISTIANITY    CONNECTED.  405 


own  utter  unworthiness  and  vileness  by  sin ; 
or  whether  they  did  not  come  in  a  presumptu- 
ous, Pharisaical  spirit,  taking  encouragement 
from  their  own  su^jposed  goodness.  They 
should  try  their  faith,  by  inquiring  whether 
it  was  accompanied  with  humility;  whether 
or  no  they  trusted  in  Christ  in  a  lowly  and 
humble  manner,  delighting  to  renounce  them- 
selves, and  to  give  all  the  glory  of  their  salva- 
tion to  Him.  So  they  should  try  their  faith, 
by  their  love ;  and  if  their  faith  has  in  it  only 
light,  but  no  warmth,  it  has  not  the  true  light ; 
neither  is  it  genuine  faith,  if  it  does  not  work 
by  love. 

And  so  persons  should  examine  their  love, 
by  their  faith.  If  they  seem  to  have  an  affec- 
tionate love  towards  God  and  Christ,  they 
should  inquire  w^hether  or  no  this  be  accom- 
panied with  a  real  conviction  of  soul  of  thei 
reality  of  Christ,  and  of  the  truth  of  the  gos- 
pel that  reveals  him,  and  with  the  full  convic 
tion  that  he  is  the  Son  of  God,  the  only,  and 
glorious,  and  all-sufficient  Saviour.  Hennn 
is  one  great  diiference  between  false  affections 
and  true  ones,  that  the  former  are  not  accom- 
panied with  this  conviction,  and  they  do  not 
withal  see  the  truth  and  reality  of  divine  things. 
27 


406  ALL   THE   GRACES    OF 


And  therefore  sucli  affections  are  very  little 
to  be  depended  on.  They  are  very  much  like 
the  affection  which  we  may  have  towards  a 
person  we  are  reading  of  in  a  romance,  and 
whom  we  at  the  same  time  suppose  to  be  no 
other  than  a  feigned  person.  Such  affections 
as  are  not  accompanied  with  conviction,  will 
never  carry  men  very  ^ar  in  duty,  or  influence 
them,  to  any  great  extent,  either  in  doing  or 
suffering. 

So,  again,  persons  should  examine  them- 
selves  as  to  that  in  them  which  seems  to 
be  the  grace  of  hope.  They  should  inquire 
whether  their  hope  is  accompanied  with  faith, 
and  arises  from  faith  in  Jesus  Christ,  and  from 
a  trust  in  his  worthiness,  and  in  his  only  ?  Is 
their  hope  built  on  this  rock,  or  is  it  rather 
founded  on  a  high  opinion  of  something  they 
think  good  in  themselves  ?  And  so  they  should 
examine  in  what  way  their  hope  works,  and 
what  influence  it  has  upon  them,  and  whether 
or  no  it  be  accompanied  with  humility?  A 
true  hope  leads  its  possessor  to  see  his  own 
unworthiness,  and  in  view  of  his  sins  to  re- 
flect on  himself  with  shame  and  brokenness 
of  heart.  It  lies  in  the  dust  before  God,  and 
the  comfort  that  arises  from  it,  is   a  lowly 


JIIRISTIANITY    CONNECTED.  407 


Lumble  joy  and  peace.  On  the  contrary,  a 
false  hope  is  wont  to  lift  its  possessor  up  with 
a  high  conceit  of  himself,  and  of  his  own  ex- 
perience and  doings.  We  should  also  inquire 
whether  our  hope  be  accompanied  with  a 
spirit  of  obedience,  and  self-denial,  and  wean- 
edness  from  the  world  ?  A  true  hope  is  ac- 
companied with  these  other  graces,  linked  to, 
and  dependent  uj^on  it,  whereas  a  false  hope 
is  without  them.  It  does  not  engage  the  heart 
in  obedience,  but  flatters  and  hardens  it  in 
disobedience.  It  does  not  mortify  carnal  ap- 
petites, and  wean  from  the  world,  but  indulges 
the  appetites  and  passions  that  are  sinful,  and 
chooses  them,  and  makes  men  easy  while 
living  in  them. 

So,  again,  persons  should  examine  their 
weaned ness  from  the  world,  by  inquiring 
whether  it  be  accompanied  with  such  a  prin- 
ciple of  love  as  draws  their  hearts  oif  from  the 
things  of  the  world  to  those  spiritual  and 
heavenly  objects  which  a  true  divine  love 
carries  the  soul  out  to,  more  than  to  the  things 
of  the  world.  They  should  not  only  ask  if 
they  have  something  that  appears  like  a  true 
love,  but  they  should  hear  Christ  asking  of 
them,  as  he  did  of  Peter,  "  Simon,  son  of 


4:08  ALL   THE    GRACES   OF 


Jonas,  lovest  thou  me  ^nore  than  theseP^ 
Herein  a  true  weanedness  from  the  world, 
differs  from  a  false  weanedness.  The  latter 
is  not  from  love  to  God  and  heavenly  things, 
but  connnonly  eitlier  from  fear  and  distress 
of  conscience,  or  perhaps  from  some  outward 
affliction,  whereby  persons  have  their  minds 
drawn  off  for  a  time  from  the  world  to  some- 
thing that  they  are  constrained  to  feel  is 
better,  though  it  is  not  really  sweeter  to  them  ; 
and  they  are  only  drawn,  or  beaten,  or  torn 
off  from  the  world,  while  their  hearts  would 
still  cleave  to  it  just  as  much  as  ever,  if  they 
could  but  enjoy  it,  free  from  these  terrors  and 
afflictions.  But  they,  on  the  other  hand,  that 
have  a  true  weanedness  from  the  world,  are 
not  wedded  to  worldly  things  even  in  their 
best  and  most  inviting  forms,  because  their 
hearts  are  drawn  off  by  the  love  of  something 
better.  They  are  so  in  love  with  God,  and 
with  spiritual  things,  that  their  affections 
cannot  fasten  on  the  things  of  the  world. 

In  the  same  way,  persons  should  try  their 
love  to  God,  by  their  love  to  the  people  of 
God  ;  and  also,  their  love  to  their  fellow  Chris- 
tians, by  their  love  to  God.  False  grace  is 
like  a  defective  or  monstrous  picture  or  image, 


CHRISTIANITY   CONNECTED.  409 


wherein  some  essential  part  is  wanting.  There 
is^  it  may  be,  an  apjDearance  of  some  good  dis- 
position toward  God,  while  at  the  same  time 
there  is  a  destitution  of  Christian  dispositions 
toward  men.  Or  if  there  appears  to  be  a  kind, 
just,  generous,  good-hearted  disposition  toward 
man,  there  is  a  want  of  right  feeling  toward 
God.  On  this  account,  we  find  God  complains 
of  Ephraim,  that  "  he  is  a  cake  not  turned," 
Hosea  vii.  8  ;  that  is,  that  his  goodness  is  par- 
tial and  not  consistent ;  that  he  is  good  in  one 
thing,  and  bad  in  another,  like  a  cake  not 
turned,  which  is  generally  burnt  on  one  side, 
and  raw  on  the  other,  and  good  for  nothing 
on  either.  Such  a  character  we  should  studi- 
ously avoid,  and  endeavor  that  each  grace 
that  we  have  may  testify  to  the  genuineness  of 
all  our  other  graces,  so  that  we  may  be  pro- 
portioned Christians,  growing  in  the  unity  of 
the  faith,  and  of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of 
God,  unto  perfect  men,  unto  the  measure  of 
the  stature  of  the  fulness  of  Christ. 


LECTUEE  XIV. 

CHARITY,    OR   TRUE   GRA.CE,    NOT   TO    BE    OVER- 
THROWN  BY   OPPOSITION. 

"  Endureth  all  things," — 1  Cor.  xiii.  7. 

In  these  words,  and  in  saying  previously 
that  "  charity  suffereth  long,"  and  again,  that 
it  "beareth  all  things,"  the  Apostle  is  com- 
monly miderstood  as  making  statements  of 
substantially  the  same  signification,  as  though 
the  three  expressions  were  synonymous,  and 
all  of  them  only  said  the  same  things  in  dif- 
ferent words. 

But  this  idea  is  doubtless  from  a  misunder- 
standing of  his  meaning.  For  if  we  closely 
consider  these  various  expressions,  and  the 
manner  in  which  they  are  used,  we  shall  find 
that  every  one  of  them  signifies  or  points  to  a 
diiferent  fruit  of  charity.  Two  of  these  ex- 
pressions have  already  been  considered,  viz.: 
that  ''  charity  sufi*ereth   long,"    and   tliat  it 


CHARITY    NOT    TO    BE    OVERTHROWN,  ETC.       411 


"  beareth  all  things ;"  and  the  former  was 
shown  to  have  reference  to  the  bearing  of  in- 
juries received  from  men,  and  the  latter,  to 
the  spirit  that  would  lead  us  to  undergo  all 
Bufferings  to  which  we  might  be  called  for 
Christ's  sake,  and  rather  than  to  forsake  him 
or  our  duty.  And  this  expression  of  the  text, 
that  charity  "  endureth  all  things,"  signifies 
something  different  from  either  of  the  other 
statements.  It  expresses  the  lasting  and  abid- 
ing nature  of  the  jpriReiple  of  charity^  or  true 
grace  in  the  soul^  and  declares  that  it  will  not 
fail,  but  will  continue  and  endure,  notwith- 
standing all  the  opposition  it  may  meet  with, 
or  that  may  be  brought  against  it.  The  two 
expressions,  "  beareth  all  things,"  and  "  en- 
dureth all  things,"  as  in  our  English  transla- 
tion, and  as  commonly  used,  are  indeed  very 
much  of  the  same  import.  But  the  expression 
of  the  original,  if  literally  translated,  would 
be,  "  charity  remains  under  all  things  ;"  that 
is,  it  still  remains,  or  still  remains  constant, 
and  persevering,  under  all  opposition  that 
may  come  against  it.  Whatever  assaults  may 
be  made  upon  it,  yet  it  still  remains,  and  en- 
dures, and  does  not  cease,  but  bears  up,  and 
bears  onward  with  constancy,  and  23ersever- 


412  CHARITY    NOT   TO    BE 


ance,   arxd    patience,   notwithstanding  then! 
all. 

According  to  the  explanation  that  has  been 
given'  of  the  four  expressions  of  this  verse 
•'beareth,"  "believeth,''  ''hopeth,"  and  "  en- 
dureth  all  things,"  the  meaning  of  the  Apostle 
appears  easy,  natural,  and  agreeable  to  the 
context.  He  is  endeavoring  to  set  forth  the 
universal  benefit  of  charity,  or  a  spirit  of 
Christian  love.  And  to  show  how  it  is  the 
sum  of  all  good  in  the  heart,  he  first  shows 
how  it  disposes  to  all  good  behavior  towards 
men,  and  sums  up  that  matter  by  saying  that 
charity  rejoiceth  not  in  iniquity  but  rejoicetk 
in  the  truth.  And  then  he  proceeds,  and  de- 
clares that  charity  not  only  disposes  to  doing 
and  suffering  in  the  cause  of  Christ,  but  that 
it  includes  a  sufiering  spirit,  so  that  it  bear- 
eth  all  things ;  and  that  it  does  this  by  j)romot- 
ing  the  two  graces  of  faith  and  hope,  which 
are  mainly  occupied  in  sufferings  in  the  cause 
of  Christ ;  for  such  sufferings  are  the -.trials  of 
our  faith,  and  wliat  upholds  the  Christian 
under  them  is  the  hope  of  a  far  more  exceed- 
ing and  eternal  weiglit  of  glory  to  be  given 
to  the  faithful  in  the  end  ;  and  charity  cher- 
ishes this  faith  and  hope  ;  and  a&  the  fruit  of 


OVEETimOWN   BY    OPPOSITION.  413 


this  faith  and  hope,  it  endures  all  things,  and 
perseveres,  and  holds  out,  and  cannot  be  con- 
quered bj  all  the  opposition  made  against  it, 
for  faith  overcomes  the  world,  and  hope  in 
God  enables  the  Christian  always  to  triumph 
in  Christ  Jesus.  The  doctrine,  then,  that  1 
would  derive  from  the  text,  is.  That  chakity, 
OR  TEUE  Christian  grace,  cannot  be  over- 
thrown   BY    ANYTHING    THAT     OPPOSES    IT. ^lu 

speaking  to  this  doctrine,  I  would,  first,  notice 
the  fact  that  many  things  do  oppose  grace  in 
the  heart  of  the  Christian;  second,  advert  to 
the  great  truth,  that  it  cannot  be  overthrown ; 
and  third,  state  some  reasons  why  it  cannot  be 
shaken,  but  remains  firm  under  all  opposition. 
And, 

I.  There  are  mmiy  things  that  do  greatly 
oppose  the  grace  lohich  is  in  the  heart  of  the 
Christian. — This  holy  principle  has  innumera- 
ble enemies  constantly  watching  and  warring 
against  it.  The  child  of  God  is  encompassed 
with  enemies  on  every  side.  He  is  a  pilgrim 
and  stranger  passing  through  an  enemy's 
country,  and  exposed  to  attack  at  any  and 
every  moment.  There  are  thousands  of  devils, 
artful,  intelligent,  active,  mighty,  and  impla- 
cable, that  are  bitter  enemies  to  the  grace  that 


414  CHARITY   NOT   TO   BE 


is  in  the  heart  of  the  Christian,  and  do  all  that 
lies  in  their  power  against  it.  And  the  world 
is  an  enemy  to  this  grace,  because  it  abounds 
with  persons  and  things  that  make  oppo- 
sition to  it,  and  with  various  forms  of  allure- 
ment and  temptation,  to  win  or  drive  us 
from  the  path  of  duty.  And  the  Christian 
has  not  onl}^  many  enemies  without,  but  mul- 
titudes within  his  own  breast,  that  he  carries 
about  with  him,  and  from  which  he  cannot 
get  free.  Evil  thoughts  and  sinful  inclina- 
tions cling  to  him ;  and  many  corruptions  that 
still  hold  their  footing  in  his  heart  are  the 
worst  enemies  that  grace  has,  and  have  the 
greatest  advantage  of  any  in  their  warfare 
against  it.  And  these  enemies  are  not  only 
many,  but  exceeding  strong  and  powerful, 
and  very  bitter  in  their  animosity,  implaca- 
ble, irreconcilable,  mortal  enemies,  seeking 
nothing  short  of  the  utter  ruin  and  overthrow 
of  grace.  And  they  are  unwearied  in  their 
opposition,  so  that  the  Christian,  while  he  re- 
mains in  this  world,  is  represented  as  being  in 
a  state  of  warfare,  and  his  business  is  that  of 
the  soldier,  insomuch  that  he  is  often  spoken 
of  as  a  soldier  of  the  cross,  and  as  one  whose 


OVERTHROWN    BY    OPPOSITION.  415 


great  duty  it  is  to  fight  manfully  the  good 
light  of  faith. 

Many  are  the  powerful  and  violent  assaults 
that  the  enemies  of  grace  make  upon  it. 
They  are  not  only  constantly  besieging  it,  but 
often  they  assault  it,  as  a  city  that  they  would 
take  by  storm.  They  are  always  lurking  and 
watching  for  opportunity  against  it,  and  some- 
times they  rise  up,  in  dreadful  wrath,  and 
endeavor  to  carry  it  by  urgent  assault.  Some- 
times one  enemy,  and  sometimes  another,  and 
sometimes  all  together,  with  one  consent,  buf- 
feting it  on  every  side,  and  coming  in  like  a 
flood,  are  ready  to  overwhelm  it,  and  to  swal- 
low it  up  at  once.  Sometimes  grace,  in  the 
midst  of  the  most  violent  opposition  of  its  ene- 
mies fighting  against  it  with  their  united  sub- 
til ty  and  strength,  is  like  a  spark  of  fire  en- 
compassed with  swelling  billows  and  raging 
waves,  that  appear  as  if  they  would  swallow  it 
up  and  extinguish  it  in  a  moment.  Or  it  is 
like  a  flake  of  snow  falling  into  the  burning 
volcano  ;  or  rather  like  a  rich  jewel  of  gold  in 
the  midst  of  a  fiery  furnace,  the  raging  heat 
of  which  is  enough  to  consume  anything  ex- 
cept the  pure  gold,  which  is  of  such  a  nature 
that  it  cannot  be  consumed  by  the  fire. 


416  CHARITY   NOT   TO   BE 


It  is  with  grace  in  the  heart  of  a  Chris* 
tian,  very  much  as  it  is  with  the  church  of 
God  in  the  world.  It  is  God's  post ;  and  it  is 
but  small,  and  great  opposition  is  made  against 
it  by  innumerable  enemies.  The  powers  of 
earth  and  hell  are  engaged  against  it,  if  pos- 
sible to  destroy  it ;  and  oftentimes  they  rise 
with  such  violence,  and  come  with  such  great 
strength  against  it,  that  if  we  were  to  judge 
only  by  what  appears,  we  should  think  it 
would  be  taken  and  destroyed  immediately. 
It  is  with  it  as  it  was  with  the  children  of  Is- 
rael in  Egypt,  against  whom  Pharaoh  and 
the  Egyptians  united  all  their  craft  and 
power,  and  set  themselves  to  endeavor  to 
extirpate  them  as  a  people.  It  is  with  it  as  it 
was  with  David  in  the  wilderness,  when  he 
was  hunted  as  a  partridge  on  the  mountains, 
and  driven  about  by  those  that  sought  his  life 
from  one  desert  or  cave  to  another,  and  seve- 
ral times  was  chased  out  into  a  strange  land. 
And  it  is  with  it  as  it  has  been  with  the  Chris- 
tian church  under  t-lie  heathen  and  antichris- 
tian  persecutions,  when  all  the  world,  as  it 
were,  united  their  strength  and  wit  to  exter- 
minate it  from  the  earth,  destroying  thousands 
and  millions  with  the  utmost  cruelty,  and  by 


OVERTHEOWN   BY   OPPOSITION.  417 


tLe  most  bloody  persecutions  without  respect 
to  sex  or  age.     But, 

II.  All  the  opposition  that  is^  or  can  he 
made  against  true  grace  in  the  hearty  cannot 
overthrow  it. — The  enemies  of  grace  may,  in 
many  respects,  gain  great  advantages  against 
it.  They  may  exceedingly  oppress  and  re- 
duce it,  and  bring  it  into  such  circumstances 
that  it  may  seem  to  be  brought  to  the  very 
brink  of  utter  ruin.  But  yet  it  will  live.  The 
ruin  that  seemed  impending  shall  be  averted. 
Though  the  roaring  lion  sometimes  comes  with 
open  mouth,  and  no  visible  refuge  appears, 
yet  the  lamb  shall  escape  and  be  safe.  Yea, 
though  it  be  in  the  very  paw  of  the  lion 
or  the  bear,  yet  it  shall  be  rescued  and  not 
devoured.  And  though  it  even  seems  actually 
sv/allowed  down,  as  Jonah  was  by  the  whale, 
yet  it  shall  be  brought  up  again  and  live.  It 
is  with  grace  in  the  heart  in  this  respect,  as  it 
was  with  the  ark  upon  the  w^aters,  however 
terrible  the  storm  may  be,  yea,  though  it  be 
Buch  a  deluge  as  overwhelms  all  things  else, 
yet  it  shall  not  overwhelm  that.  Though  the 
floods  rise  ever  so  high,  yet  it  shall  be  kept 
above  the  waters ;  and  though  the  mighty 
waves  may  rise  above  the  tops  of  the  highest 


4:18  CHARITY   NOT   TO   BE 


mouQtains,  yet  they  shall  not  be  able  to  get 
above  this  ark,  but  it  shall  still  float  in  safety. 
Or  it  is  with  this  grace,  as  it  was  with  the  ship 
In  which  Christ  was  when  there  arose  a  great 
Btorm,  and  the  waves  ran  high,  inasmuch  that 
it  seemed  as  if  the  ship  would  instantly  sink ; 
and  yet  it  did  not  sink,  though  it  was  actually 
covered  with  waters,  for  Christ  was  in  it. 

And  so,  again,  grace  in  the  heart,  is  like 
the  children  of  Israel  in  Egypt,  and  at  the 
Hed  Sea,  and  in  the  wilderness.  Though 
Pharaoh  strove  ever  so  much  to  destroy  them, 
they  yet  grew  and  prospered.  And  when, 
at  last,  he  pursued  them  with  all  his  army, 
and  with  chariots  and  horsemen,  and  they 
were  pent  up  by  the  Red  Sea,  and  saw  no 
way  of  escape,  but  seemed  to  themselves  to 
be  on  the  very  brink  of  ruin,  yet  they  did  es- 
cape, and  were  not  delivered  a  prey  to  their 
foes.  Yea,  they  were  preserved  in  passing 
through  the  very  sea  itself,  for  the  waters 
opened  before  them,  and  when  they  had 
safely  passed  over,  rolled  back  and  over- 
whelmed their  foes.  And  they  were  preserved 
for  a  long  time  in  the  desolate  w^ilderness,  in 
the  midst  of  pits,  and  drought,  and  fiery  fly- 
ing-serpents.    Thus  as  the  gates  of  hell  can 


OVEETHKOWN   BY   OPPOSITION.  419 


never  prevail  against  the  cliurcli  of  Cl/rist,  sc 
neither  can  they  prevail  against  grace  in  the 
heart  of  the  Christian.  The  seed  remaineth, 
and  none  can  root  it  out.  The  fire  is  kept 
alive  even  in  the  midst  of  the  floods  of  water; 
and  though  it  often  appears  dim,  or  as  if  it 
were  just  going  out,  so  that  there  is  no  flame, 
but  only  a  little  smoke,  yet  the  smoking  flax 
shall  not  be  quenched. 

And  grace  shall  not  only  remain,  but  at 
last  shall  have  the  victory.  Though  it  may 
pass  through  a  long  time  of  sore  conflicts,  and 
may  sufl'er  many  disadvantages  and  depres- 
sions, yet  it  shall  live ;  and  not  only  live,  but  it 
will  finally  prosper,  and  prevail,  and  triumph, 
and  all  its  enemies  shall  be  subdued  under 
its  feet.  As  David  in  the  wilderness,  though 
he  was  long  kej^t  in  very  low  and  distressed 
circumstances,  pursued  by  his  potent  enemies, 
and  many  times  apparently  on  the  brink  of 
ruin  where  there  seemed  but  a  step  between 
him  and  death,  was  yet  through  all  preserved, 
and  at  last  exalted  to  the  throne  of  Israel,  and 
to  wear  the  royal  crown  in  great  prosperity 
and  with  glory,  so  we  see  it  is  with  grace,  that 
it  can  never  be  overthrown,  and  its  depres- 
sions do  but  prepare  the  way  for  its  exalta- 


4:20  CIIAKITY    NOT    TO    BE 


lion.  Where  it  does  truly  exist  in  the  heart, 
all  its  enemies  cannot  destroy  it,  and  all  the 
opj)osition  made  against  it  cannot  crush  it.  It 
endures  all  things,  and  stands  all  shocks,  and 
remains  notwithstanding  all  opposers.  And 
the  reason  of  this  may  he  seen  in  these  two 
things  : 

1.  That  there  is  so  tnuch  more  in  the  na- 
ture of  true  grace  that  tends  to  persevera^ioe^ 
than  in  false  grace. — False  grace  is  a  super- 
ficial thing,  consisting  in  mere  outward  show, 
or  in  superficial  aftections,  and  not  in  any 
change  of  nature.  But  true  grace  reaches  to 
the  very  bottom  of  the  heart.  It  consists  in  a 
new  nature,  and  therefore  it  is  lasting  and  en- 
during. Where  there  is  nothing  but  counter- 
feit grace,  corruption  is  unmortified,  and  what- 
ever wounds  may  seem  to  be  given  it,  they 
are  but  slight  wounds,  that  do  not  at  all  reach 
its  life  or  diminish  the  strength  of  its  princi- 
ple, but  leave  sin  in  its  full  strength  in  the 
Boul,  so  that  it  is  no  wonder  that  it  ultimately 
prevails,  and  bears  down  all  before  it.  But 
true  grace  really  mortifies  sin  in  the  heart. 
It  strikes  at  its  vitals,  and  gives  it  a  wound 
that  is  mortal,  sending  its  stroke  to  the  very 
heart.     When  it  first  enters  the  soul,  it  begins 


OVERTHROWN    BY    OPPOSITION.  421 


a  never-ceasing  conflict  with  sin,  and  therefore 
it  is  no  wonder  that  it  keeps  possession,  and 
finally  prevails  over  its  enemy.  Counterfeit 
grace  never  dispossesses  sin  of  the  dominion 
of  the  soul,  or  destroys  its  reigning  power 
there,  and  therefore  it  is  no  wonder  that  it 
does  not  itself  remain.  But  true  grace  is  of 
such  a  nature  that  it  is  inconsistent  with  the 
reigning  power  of  sin,  and  dispossesses  the 
heart  of  it  as  it  enters,  and  takes  the  throne 
from  it,  and  therefore  is  the  more  likely  to 
keep  its  seat  there,  and  finally  to  prevail  en- 
tu'ely  against  it.  Counterfeit  grace,  though 
it  may  affect  the  heart,  yet  is  not  founded  on 
any  real  conviction  of  the  soul.  But  true 
grace  begins  in  real  and  thorough  conviction, 
and  having  such  a  foundation,  has  so  much 
the  greater  tendency  to  perseverance.  Coun- 
terfeit grace  is  not  diligent  in  prayer ;  but 
true  grace  is  prayerful,  and  thus  lays  hold  on 
the  divine  strength  to  support  it,  and  indeed 
becomes  divine  itself,  so  that  the  life  of  God 
is,  as  it  were,  imparted  to  it.  Counterfeit 
grace  is  careless  whether  it  perseveres  to  the 
end,  or  not  ;  but  true  grace  naturally  causes 
earnest  desires  for  perseverance,  and  leads  to 
hungerings  and  thirstings  for  it  It  also  makes 
28 


422  CHARITY   NOT   TO   BE 


men  sensible  of  the  dangers  they  are  encom- 
passed with,  and  has  a  tendency  to  excite 
them  to  watchfulness,  and  to  care  and  dili- 
gence that  they  may  persevere,  and  to  look  to 
God  for  help,  and  trust  in  him  for  preserva- 
tion from  the  many  enemies  that  oppose  it. 
And, 

2.  God  will  uphold  true  grace ^  when  he  has 
once  implanted  it  in  the  hearty  against  all  op- 
position.— -Pie  will  never  suifer  it  to  be  over- 
thrown by  all  the  force  that  may  be  brought 
against  it.  Though  there  be  much  more  in 
true  grace  that  tends  to  perseverance  than 
there  is  in  counterfeit  grace,  yet  nothing  that 
is  in  the  nature  of  grace,  considered  by  itself 
and  apart  fixrm  God's  purpose  to  uphold  it, 
would  be  sufficient  to  make  sure  its  continu- 
ance, or  effectually  to  keep  it  from  final  over- 
throw. We  are  kept  from  falling,  not  by  the 
inherent  power  of  grace  itself,  but  as  the 
Apostle  Peter  tells  us  (1  Pet.  i.  5),  "  by  the 
power  of  God  through  faith."  The  principle 
of  holiness  in  the  heai'ts  of  our  first  parents, 
where  it  had  no  corruption  to  contend  with, 
w^as  overthrown ;  and  much  more  might  we 
expect  the  seed  of  grace  in  the  hearts  of  fallen 
men,  in  the  midst  of  so  much  corruption,  and 


OVERTHROWN    BY    OPPOSITION.  423 


exposed  to  such  active  and  constant  oj^posi- 
tion,  would  be  overthrown  did  not  God  up- 
hold it.  He  has  undertaken  to  defend  it 
from  all  its  enemies,  and  to  give  it  the  victory 
at  last,  and  therefore  it  shall  never  be  ovei- 
thrown.  And  here  I  would  briefly  show  how 
it  is  evident  that  God  will  upliold  true  grace, 
and  not  suffer  it  to  be  overthrown,  and  then 
show  some  reasons  why  he  will  not  suffer  it. 

First^  I  would  show  how  it  is  evident  that 
God  will  uphold  true  grace  in  the  heart.  And 
in  one  word  it  is  evident  from  his  promise. 
God  has  explicitly  and  often  promised  that 
true  grace  shall  never  be  overthrown.  It  is 
promised  in  that  declaration  concerning  the 
good  man  (Psalm  xxxvii.  24),  that  "though 
he  fall,  he  shall  not  be  utterly  cast  down  ;  for 
the  Lord  upholdeth  him  with  his  hand  ;"  and 
again  in  the  words  (Jer.  xxxii.  40),  "  I  will 
make  an  everlasting  covenant  with  them,  that 
I  will  not  turn  away  from  them  to  do  them 
good  ;  but  1  will  put  my  fear  in  their  hearts, 
that  they  shall  not  depart  from  me;"  and 
again,  in  those  words  of  Christ  (Matt,  xviii. 
14),  that  "  it  is  not  the  will  of  your  Father 
which  is  in  heaven,  that  one  of  these  little 
ones  should  perish."    And  in  accordance  with 


4:24:  CHARITY   NOT   TO   BE 


these  various  declarations,  Christ  has  promised 
concerning  grace  (John  xiv.  Itt),  that  it  shall 
be  in  the  soul,  "  as  a  well  of  water,  springing 
up  into  everlasting  life."  And  again  he  sajs 
(John  vi.  39),  "  This  is  the  Father's  will  which 
hath  sent  me,  that  of  all  which  he  hath  given 
me,  I  should  lose  nothing,  but  should  raise  it 
up  again  at  the  last  da_7."  And  in  other  places 
it  is  said,  that  Christ's  sheep  "  shall  never 
perish,  neither  shall  any  man  pluck  them  out  of 
his  hand,"  John  x.  27 ;  that  whom  God  "  did 
foreknow,  them  he  also  called  ;  and  whom  he 
called,  them  he  also  justified ;  and  whom  he 
justified,  them  he  also  glorified,"  and  that 
nothing  ''shall  separate"  Christians  "  from  the 
love  of  Christ,"  Rom.  viii.  29,  30,  35  ;  and 
again,  "that  he  which  hath  begun  a  good 
work"  in  us,  "will  perform  it  until  the  day  of 
Jesus  Christ,"  Phil.  i.  6 ;  and  again,  that 
Christ  "  shall  confirm"  his  people  "  unto  the 
end  that"  they  "  may  be  blameless  in  the  day 
of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ,"  1  Cor.  i.  8 ;  and 
still  again,  that  "he  is  able  to  keep"  them 
"from  fiilling,  and  to  present"  them  "fault- 
less before  the  presence  of  his  glory  with 
exceeding  joy,"  Jude  2^.  And  many  other 
similar  promises  might  be  mentioned,  all  of 


OVERTHROWN   BY    OPPOSITION.  425 


whicli  declare  that  God  will  uphold  grace  in 
the  heart  in  which  he  has  once  implanted  it, 
and  that  he  will  keep  to  the  end  those  who 
put  their  trust  in  him.     But, 

Second^  I  would  briefly  show  some  reasons 
why  God  will  ujpliold  the  ■principle  of  graoe^ 
and  keep  it  from  heing  overthrown.  And  in 
the^^r^^  place,  unless  the  redemption  provided 
bj  Christ  secured  our  perseverance  through 
all  opposition,  it  would  not  be  a  complete  re- 
demption. Christ  died  to  redeem  us  from  the 
evil  we  were  subject  to  under  the  law,  and  to 
bring  us  to  glory.  But  if  he  brought  us  no 
further  than  the  state  we  were  in  at  first,  and 
left  us  as  liable  to  fall  as  before,  then  all  his 
redemption  might  be  made  void,  and  come  to 
nothing.  Man,  before  the  fall,  being  left  to 
the  freedom  of  his  own  will,  fell  from  his 
steadfastness,  and  lost  his  grace  when  he  was 
comparatively  strong  and  not  exposed  to  the 
enemies  that  now  beset  him.  What  then 
could  he  do  in  his  present  fallen  state,  and 
with  such  imperfect  grace,  in  the  midst  of  his 
powerful  and  manifold  enemies,  if  his  perse- 
verance depended  on  himself  alone  ^  lie 
would  utterly  fall  and  perish  ;  and  the  redemp- 
tion provided  by  Christ,  if  it  did  not  secure 


4:26  CHARITY   NOT   TO    BE 


him  from  thus  falling,  would  be  a  very  imper- 
fect redemption. 

In  the  second  place,  the  covenant  of  graco 
was  introduced  to  supply  what  was  wanting 
in  the  first  covenant,  and  a  sure  ground  of 
perseverance  was  the  main  thing  that  was 
w^anting  in  it.  The  first  covenant  had  no 
defect  on  the  part  of  God  who  constructed  il  ; 
in  that  respect  it  was  most  holy  and  just,  and 
wise  and  perfect.  But  the  result  proved  that 
on  our  part  it  was  wanting,  and  needed  some- 
thing: more  in  order  to  its  beino;  elFectual  for 
our  happiness ;  and  the  thing  needed  was 
something  that  should  be  a  sure  ground  of  our 
perseverance.  All  the  ground  we  had  under 
the  first  covenant  was  tlie  freedom  of  our  own 
will ;  and  this  was  found  not  to  be  depended 
on:  and  therefore  God  has  made  another 
covenant.  The  first  was  liable  to  fail,  and 
therefore  another  was  ordained  more  enduring 
than  the  first,  and  that  could  not  fail,  and 
which  therefore  is  called  ''  an  everlasti-iig  cove- 
nant." The  things  that  could  be  shaken  are 
removed,  to  make  way  foi'  those  that  cannot 
be  shaken.  The  first  covenant  had  ahead  and 
surety  that  was  liable  to  fail,  even  the  father 
of  our  race ;  and  therefore  God  has  provided 


OVERTHROWN    BY    OPPOSITION.  427 


as  the  liead  and  surety  of  the  new  covenant, 
one  that  cannot  fail,  even  Christ,  with  whom, 
as  the  head  and  rejjresentative  of  all  his 
people,  the  new  covenant  is  made,  and  ordered 
in  all  things  and  sure. 

In  the  third  place,  it  is  not  fit  that  in  a 
covenant  of  mercy  and  saving  grace,  the 
reward  of  life  should  be  suspended  on  man's 
perseverance  as  depending  on  the  strength 
and  steadfastness  of  his  own  will.  It  is  a  cove- 
nant of  works,  and  not  a  covenant  of  grace 
that  suspends  eternal  life  on  that  which  is  the 
fruit  of  a  man's  own  strength  to  keep  him  from 
falling.  If  all  is  of  free  and  sovereign  grace, 
then  free  grace  has  undertaken  the  matter  to 
complete  and  finish  it,  and  has  not  left  it  to 
men  themselves,  and  to  the  power  of  their  own 
wills,  as  it  was  under  the  first  covenant.  As 
divine  grace  has  commenced  the  work,  it  will 
finish  it ;  and  therefore  we  shall  be  kept  to  the 
end. 

In  the  fourth  place,  our  second  surety  has 
already  persevered  and  done  what  our  first 
surety  failed  of  doing  ;  and  therefore  we  shall 
surely  persevere.  Adam,  (uir  first  surety,  did 
not  persevere  ;  and  so  all  fell  with  liim.  Bui 
if  he  had  persevered,  all  would  have  stood 


428  CHARITY   NOT   TO   BE 


with  liim,  and  never  would  have  fallen  But 
our  second  surety  has  already  j^ersevered,  and 
therefore  all  that  have  him  for  their  surety 
will  persevere  with  him.  When  Adam  fell, 
he  was  condemned,  and  all  his  posterity-  was 
condemned  with  him,  and  fell  with  him.  But 
if  he  had  stood,  he  would  have  been  justified, 
and  so  would  have  partaken  of  the  tree  of  life, 
and  been  confirmed  in  a  state  of  life,  and  all 
his  posterity  would  have  been  confirmed.  And 
by  parity  of  reason,  now  that  Christ,  the 
second  Adam,  has  stood,  and  persevered,  and 
is  justified,  and  confirmed  in  life,  all  who  are 
in  Christ  and  represented  by  him,  are  also 
accepted,  and  justified,  and  confirmed  in  him. 
The  fact  that  he,  as  the  covenant  head  of  his 
people,  has  fulfilled  the  terms  of  that  cove- 
nant, makes  it  sure  that  they  shall  persevere. 
In  the  fifth  place,  the  believer  is  already 
actually  justified,  and  thus  entitled,  through 
the  promise  of  mercy,  to  eternal  life,  and 
therefore  God  will  not  suifer  him  to  fail  and 
come  short  of  it.  Justification  is  the  actual 
acquittal  of  the  sinner.  It  is  a  full  acquittance 
from  guilt,  and  freedom  from  condemnation, 
and  deliverance  from  hell,  and  acceptance  to 
a  full  title  to  eternal  life.     And  all  this  is 


OVERTHKOWN   BY    OPPOSITION.  420 


plainly  inconsistent  with  the  idea  that  deliver- 
ance from  hell,  and  the  attainment  of  eternal 
life,  are  yet  suspended  on  an  uncertain  perse- 
verance. 

In  the  sixth  place,  the  Scriptures  teach  us, 
that  the  believer's  grace  and  spiritual  life,  are 
a  partaking  of  the  life  of  Christ  in  his  resurrec- 
tion, which  is  an  immortal  and  unfading  life. 
This  is  plainly  taught  by  the  Apostle,  when  he 
says  (Col.  ii.  13),  ''You  hath  he  quickened 
together  with  him,"  that  is,  with  Christ ;  and 
again  (Eph.  ii.  4,  6),  "But  God,  who  is  rich 
in  mercy,  for  his  great  love  wherewith  he 
loved  us,  even  when  we  were  dead  in  sins, 
hath  quickened  us  together  with  Christ,  and 
hath  raised  us  up  together,  and  made  us  sit 
together  in  heavenly  places  in  Christ  Jesus  ;" 
and  still  again  (Gal.  ii.  20),  "  I  live ;  yet 
not  I,  but  Christ  liveth  in  me  "  These  ex- 
pressions show  that  the  believer's  spiritual  life 
cannot  fail ;  for  Christ  says  (Rev.  i.  18),  "  I 
am  he  that  liveth,  and  was  dead  ;  and  behold 
I  am  alive  for  evermore ;"  and  the  Apostle 
says  (Rom.  vi.  9),  "  Knowing  that  Christ, 
being  raised  from  tlie  dead,  dieth  no  more  ; 
death  hath  no  more  dominion  over  him." 
Our  spiritual  life  being  his  life,  as  truly  as  the 


iSO  CHAEITY   NOT   TO   BE 


life  of  the  brancli  is  the  life  of  the  tree,  cannot 
but  continue. 

In  the  seventh  place,  grace  is  that  which 
God  hath  implanted  in  the  heart  against  the 
great  opposition  of  enemies,  and  therefore  he 
will  doubtless  maintain  it  there  against  their 
continued  and  combined  efforts  to  root  it  out. 
The  enemies  of  God  and  the  soul  used  their 
utmost  endeavors  to  prevent  grace  being  im- 
planted in  the  heart  that  possesses  it.  But 
God  manifested  his  all-conquering  and  glorious 
power  in  introducing  it  there  in  spite  of  them 
all.  And  therefore  he  will  not  at  last  suffer 
himself  to  be  conquered  by  their  expelling 
that  which  he  by  his  mighty  power  has  so 
triumphantly  brought  in.  From  all  which  it 
is  plain,  that  God  will  uphold  the  principle  of 
grace  in  the  heart  of  the  Christian,  so  that  it 
shall  never  be  overthrown  or  fail.  In  the 
application  of  this  subject, 

1.  We  may  learn  one  reason  why  the  devil 
so  exceedingly  opposes  the  conversion-,  of  sin- 
ners.— It  is  because  if  they  are  once  converted, 
they  are  forever  converted,  and  thus  forever 
put  beyond  his  reach,  so  that  he  can  never 
overthrow  and  ruin  them.  If  there  was  such 
a  thing  as  falling  from  grace,  doubtless  the 


OVERTHROWN   BY    OPPOSITION.  431 


devi]  would  even  then  oppose  our  liaving 
grace  ;  but  more  especially  does  be  oppose  it 
since  lie  knows  that  if  once  we  have  it,  he  can 
never  expect  to  overthrow  it,  but  that  we,  by 
its  very  possession,  are  finally  lost  to  him  and 
forever  out  of  the  reach  of  his  destroying 
power.  Til  is  may  show  us  something  of  the 
reason  of  that  violent  opposition  that  persons 
who  are  under  awakenings  and  convictions, 
and  who  are  seeking  conversion,  meet  with 
through  the  many  and  great  temptations  they 
are  assailed  with  by  the  adversary.  He  is 
alwaj^s  active  and  greatly  bestirs  himself  for 
the  overthrow  of  such,  and  heaps  mountains 
in  their  way,  if  possible,  to  hinder  the  saving 
work  of  the  Holy  Spirit,  and  prevent  their 
conversion.  He  labors  to  the  utmost  to  quench 
convictions  of  sin,  and  if  possible  to  lead  jDer- 
sons  that  are  under  them  to  return  to  the  ways 
of  heedlessness  and  sloth  in  transgression. 
Sometimes  he  endeavors  to  flatter,  and  at 
other  times  to  discourage  them,  laboring  to 
entangle  and  perplex  their  minds,  and  to  his 
utmost  stirring  up  exercises  of  corruption, 
suggesting  blasphemous  thoughts,  and  leading 
them  to  quarreling  with  God.  By  many  sub 
tie  temptations  he  eiideavurs   to  make  them 


432  CHAEITT   NOT   TO   BE 


think  that  it  is  in  vain  to  seek  salvation.  He 
tempts  them  from  the  doctrine  of  God's  de- 
crees ;  or  by  their  own  impotence  and  helpless- 
ness ;  or  bj  telling  them  that  all  they  do  is 
sin  ;  or  by  trying  to  persuade  them  that  their 
day  of  grace  is  past;  or  by  terrifying  them 
with  the  idea  that  they  have  committed  the 
unpardonable  sin.  Or  it  may  be  he  tells  them 
that  their  pains  and  trouble  are  needless,  and 
that  there  is  time  enough  hereafter ;  or  if 
possible  he  will  deceive  them  with  false  hopes, 
and  flatter  them  that  they  are  in  a  safe  estate 
while  they  are  still  out  of  Christ.  In  these, 
and  innumerable  other  ways,  Satan  endeavors 
to  hinder  the  conversion  of  men,  for  he  knows 
the  truth  of  the  doctrine  we  have  insisted  on, 
that  if  ever  grace  be  implanted  in  the  soul,  he 
can  never  overthrow  it,  and  that  the  gates  of 
hell  cannot  prevail  against  it.     Again, 

2.  We  may  see  from  this  subject^  that  those 
whose  seeming  grace  fails^  and  is  overthrown^ 
may  conclude  that  they  never  had  any  true 
gracs. — ^That  is  not  true  grace  which  is  like 
the  morning  cloud,  and  the  early  dew,  which 
passeth  away.  When  persons  seem  fur  a 
while  to  be  aAvakened  and  terrified,  and  have 
more  or  less  of  a  sense  of  their  sinfulness  and 


OVEKTHROWN   BY   OPPOSITION.  433 


Wleness,  and  then  afterwards  seem  much  affect- 
ed with  the  mercy  of  God,  and  appear  to  find 
comfort  in  him,  and  jet  after  all,  when  the 
novelty  is  over,  their  impressions  decline  and 
pass  away,  so  that  there  is  no  abiding  change 
in  the  heart  and  life,  then  it  is  a  sign  that  they 
have  no  true  grace.  There  is  nothing  in  the 
case  of  such  that  answers  to  the  declaration 
of  the  Apostle  (2  Cor.  v.  17),  that  "  if  any 
man  be  in  Clirist,  he  is  a  new  creature."  If 
the  individual,  after  seeming  conversion,  turns 
back  from  God  and  Christ  and  spiritual  things, 
and  the  heart  again  goes  after  vanity  and  the 
world,  and  the  known  duties  of  religion  are 
neglected,  and  the  person  again  returns  to  the 
ways  of  sin,  and  goes  on  gratifying  the  selfish 
or  sensual  appetites,  and  leading  a  carnal  and 
careless  life,  then  all  the  j)romise  of  his  ap- 
parent conversion  is  deceptive.  It  is  but  like 
the  promise  of  the  blossoms  on  the  trees  in  the 
time  of  spring  or  early  summer,  so  many  of 
which  fall  ofi:',  and  never  bring  forth  fruit. 
The  result  proves  that  all  these  seeming  ap- 
pearances of  grace  are  only  appearances,  and 
that  those  who  trust  to  them  are  awfully 
deluded.  The  grace  that  does  not  hold  out 
and  persevere,  is  not  real  grace.    Ojice  more, 


434  CHARITY   NOT   TO   BE 


3.  The  subject  affords  matter  of  great  joy 
and  comfort  to  all  who  have  good  evidence  that 
they  indeed  have  true  grace  in  their  hearts, — • 
Those  with  whom  it  is  thus,  are  possessed  of 
an  inestimable  jewel,  which  is  worth  more 
than  all  the  jewels  and  precious  stones,  and 
all  the  crowns  and  costly  treasures  in  the  uni- 
verse. And  this  may  be  a  matter  of  great 
comfort  to  them,  that  they  never  shall  lose 
this  jewel,  but  that  he  that  gave  it  will  keep 
it  for  them ;  and  that  as  he  has  brought  them 
into  a  most  happy  state,  so  he  will  uphold 
them  in  it,  and  that  his  mighty  power  by 
which  he  is  able  to  subdue  all  things  to  him- 
self, is  on  their  side,  and  pledged  for  their 
protection,  so  that  none  of  their  enemies  shall 
be  able  to  destroy  them.  They  may  rejoice 
that  they  have  a  strong  city  unto  which  God 
has  appointed  salvation  for  walls  and  bul- 
warks. And  whatever  bitterness  their  enemies 
manifest  against  them,  and  however  subtle  and 
violent  they  may  be  in  their  attacks  upon 
them,  they  may  still  stand  on  high  on  their 
munitions  of  rocks  on  which  God  has  set  them, 
and  laugh  their  foes  to  scorn,  and  glory  in  the 
Most  High  as  their  sure  refuge  and  defence. 
The  everlasting  arms  are  underneath   them. 


OVERTHROWN   BY    OPPOSITION.  435 


Jehovali,  who  rides  upon  the  heavens,  is  their 
help.  And  all  their  foes  he  will  subdue  under 
his  feet ;  so  that  they  may  well  rejoice  in  the 
Lord,  and  joy  in  the  rock  of  their  salvation. 
Finally, 

4.  The  subject  also  affords  matter  of  great 
encouragement  to  the  saints  in  carrying  on  the 
warfare  against  the  enemies  of  their  souls. — 
It  is  the  greatest  of  all  disadvantages  to  a 
soldier  to  have  to  go  forth  to  battle  without 
the  hope  of  being  able  to  conquer,  but  with 
the  prevailing  expectation  of  being  overcome. 
As  hope  in  the  one  case  might  be  half  the 
victory,  so  despondency  in  the  other  would  be 
likely  to  ensure  defeat.  The  latter  would 
debilitate  and  weaken,  while  the  former  would 
co-opei^te  with  and  increase  strength.  You 
that  have  good  evidence  that  you  have  grace 
in  your  hearts,  have,  then,  all  that  you  can 
need  to  encourage  you.  The  captain  of  your 
salvation  will  assuredly  conduct  you  to  victory 
in  the  end.  He  who  is  able  to  uphold  you 
has  promised  that  you  shall  overcome,  and 
his  promise  shall  ne^er  fail.  Resting  on  that 
promise,  be  faithful  to  your  part,  and  ere  long 
the  song  of  victory  shall  be  yours,  and  the 
crown  of  victory  he  will  place,  with  his  own 
hands,  upon  your  head. 


LECTURE  XV. 


THE  llOLY  SPIRIT  FOREVER  TO  BE  COMMirNICATED 
TO  THE  SAINTS,  IN  THE  GRACE  OF  CHARITY,  OB 
DIV^INE    LOVE. 

"  Charity  never  faileth.  But  whether  there  be  prophe- 
cies, they  shall  fail ;  whether  there  be  tongues,  they  shall 
cease  ;  whether  there  be  knowledge,  it  shall  vanish  away." 
— 1  Cor.  xiii.  8. 

In  the  entire  context,  the  drift  of  the  Apos- 
tle is,  to  show  the  superiority  of  charity  over 
all  the  other  graces  of  the  Spirit.  And  in  this 
chapter  he  sets  forth  its  excellence  by  three 
things  :  first^  by  showing  that  it  is  the  most 
essential  thing,  and  that  all  other  gifts  are 
nothing  without  it ;  second^  by  showing  that 
from  it  all  good  dispositions  and  behavior  do 
arise ;  and  thirds  by  showing  that  it  is  the 
most  durable  of  all  gifts,  and  shall  remain 
when  the  church  of  God  shall  be  in  its  most 
perfect  state,  and  when  the  other  gifts  ol  tho 


THE    nOLY   SPIRIT   FOEEVEE,  ETC.  437 


Spirit  shall  have  vanished  away.  And  in  the 
text  may  be  observed  two  things  : — 

Firsts  That  one  property  of  .charity  by 
which  its  excellence  is  set  forth,  is,  that  it  is 
unfailing  and  everlasting.  "  Charity  never  fail- 
eth."  This  naturally  follows  the  last  words 
of  the  preceding  verse,  that  "  Charity  endur- 
eth  all  things."  There  the  Apostle  declares 
the  durableness  of  charity  as  it  appears  in  its 
withstanding  the  shock  of  all  the  opposition 
that  can  be  made  against  it  in  the  world. 
And  now  he  proceeds  further,  and  declares 
that  charity  not  only  endures  to  the  end  of 
tiine^  but  also  throughout  eternity.  "  Charity 
never  faileth."  When  all  temporal  things  shall 
have  failed,  this  shall  still  abide,  and  abide 
forever.     We  may  also  observe  in  the  text, 

Second^  That  herein  charity  is  distinguished 
from  all  the  other  gifts  of  the  Sjjirit,  such  as 
prophecies,  and  the  gift  of  tongues,  and  the  gift 
of  knowledge,  &c.  "  Whether  there  be  prophe- 
cies, they  shall  fail ;  whether  there  be  tongues, 
they  shall  cease;  whether  there  be  knowledge;, 
it  shall  vanish  away;"  but  "charity  never 
faileth."  By  the  knowledge  here  spoken  of, 
is  not  meant  spiritual  and  divine  knowledge  in 
general ;  for  surely  there  will  be  such  knowl- 
29 


4:38  THE   HOLY    SPIRIT   FOEEVER 


edge  hereafter  in  heaven,  as  well  as  now  on 
earth,  and  vastly  more  than  there  is  on  earth, 
as  the  Apostle  expressly  declares  in  the  fol- 
lowing verses.  The  knowledge  that  Christians 
have  of  God,  and  Christ,  and  spiritual  things, 
and  in  fact  all  their  hnowledge^  as  that  word 
is  commonly  understood,  shall  not  vanish 
away,  but  shall  be  gloriously  increased  and 
perfected  in  heaven  which  is  a  world  of  light 
as  well  as  love.  But  by  the  knowledge  which 
the  Apostle  says  shall  vanish  away,  is  meant 
a  particular  miraculous  gift  that  was  in  the 
church  of  God  in  those  days.  For  the  Apos- 
tle, as  we  have  seen,  is  here  comparing  char- 
ity with  the  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  those 
extraordinary  gifts  which  were  common  in  the 
church  in  those  days,  one  of  which  was  the 
gift  of  prophecy,  and  another  the  gift  of  tongues, 
or  the  power  of  speaking  in  languages  that 
had  never  been  learned.  Both  these  gifts  are 
mentioned  in  the  text,  and  the  Apostle  says 
they  shall  fail  and  cease.  And  another  gift 
was  the  gift  of  knowledge,  or  the  wo7'd  of 
knowledge,  as  it  is  called  in  the  eighth  verse 
of  the  previous  chapter,  where  it  is  so  spoken 
of  as  to  show  that  it  was  a  different  thing  both 
from  that  speculative  knowledge  which  is  ob- 


TO   BE   COMMUNICATED   IN    LOVE.  439 


tained  from  reason  and  study,  and  also  from 
that  spiritual  or  divine  knowledge  that  comes 
from  the  saving  influence  of  the  Holy  Spirit 
in  the  soul.  It  was  a  particular  gift  of  the 
Spirit  with  which  some  persons  were  endowed, 
wdiereby  they  w^ere  enabled  by  immediate  in- 
sj)iration  to  understand  mysteries,  or  the  mys- 
terious prophecies  and  types  of  the  Scriptures, 
which  the  Apostle  speaks  of  in  the  second 
verse  of  this  chapter,  saying,  ''Though  I  have 
the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  understand  all  mys- 
teries and  all  knowdedge,  &c."  It  is  this  mi- 
raculous gift  which  the  Apostle  here  says  shall 
vanish  aw^ay,  together  with  the  other  miracu- 
lous gifts  of  which  he  speaks,  such  as  prophe- 
cy, and  the  gift  of  tongues,  &c.  All  these 
were  extraordinary  gifts,  bestowed  for  a  sea- 
son for  the  introduction  and  establishment 
of  Christianity  in  the  world,  and  when  this 
their  end  was  gained,  they  were  all  to  fail  and 
cease.  But  charity  was  never  to  cease.  Thus 
the  Apostle  plainlj^  teaches,  as  the  doctrine 
of  the  text. 

That  that  great  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  in 
WHICH  the  Holy  Ghost  shall,  not  only  for  a 


440  THE    HOLY   SPIBIT   FOREVER 


TO   THE    CHURCH    OF    ChRIST,    IS    CHARITY,  OR    DI- 
VINE LOVE. 

That  the  meaning  and  truth  of  this  doctrine 
may  be  better  understood,  I  would  speak  to  it 
in  the  four  following  propositions  :  first^  The 
spirit  of  Christ  will  be  everlastingly  given  to 
his  church  and  people,  to  influence  and  dwell 
in  them  ;  secoyid^  There  are  other  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  besides  divine  love,  wherein  the  Spirit 
of  God  is  communicated  to  his  church  ;  thirds 
These  other  fruits  are  but  for  a  season,  and 
either  have  already,  or  will  at  some  time  cease ; 
fourth^  That  charity,  or  divine  love,  is  that 
great  and  unfailing  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  in  which 
his  everlasting  influence  and  indwelling  in  the 
saints,  or  in  his  church,  shall  appear. 

I.  The  Spirit  of  Christ  is  given  to  his  church 
and  people^  everlastingly  to  influence  and  dwell 
in  them, — ^The  Holy  Spirit  is  the  great  pur- 
chase, or  purchased  gift  of  Christ.  The  chief 
and  sum  of  all  the  good  things  in  this  life  and 
in  the  life  to  come,  that  are  purchased,  for  the 
church,  is  the  Holy  Spirit.  And  as  he  is  the 
great  purchase,  so  he  is  the  great  promise, 
or  the  great  thing  promised  by  God  and  Christ 
to  the  church,  as  said  the  Apostle  Peter  on 
the  day  of  Pentecost  (Acts  ii.  32,  33),  "This 


TO    BE    COlVrMUNICATED    IN    LOVE.  441 


Jesus,  being  hy  the  right  hand  of  God  exalted, 
and  having  received  of  the  Father  the  prom- 
ise of  the  Holy  Ghost,  he  hath  shed  fortli  this 
which  ye  now  see  and  hear."  And  this  great 
purchase  and  promise  of  Christ  is  forever  to  be 
given  to  his  church.  He  has  promised  that 
his  church  shall  contiime,  and  expressly  de- 
clared that  the  gates  of  hell  shall  not  prevail 
against  it.  And  that  it  may  be  preserved,  he 
lias  given  his  Holy  Spirit  to  every  true  mem- 
ber of  it,  and  promised  the  continuance  of 
that  Spirit  forever.  His  own  language  is 
(John  xiv.  16,  17),  "And  I  will  pray  the 
Father,  and  he  shall  give  you  another  com- 
forter, that  he  may  abide  with  you  forever ; 
even  the  Spirit  of  truth,  whom  the  world  can- 
not receive,  because  it  seeth  him  not,  neither 
knoweth  him  ;  but  ye  know  him,  for  he  dwell- 
eth  with  3^ou,  and  shall  be  in  you." 

Man,  in  his  first  estate  in  Eden,  had  the 
Holy  Sj)irit ;  but  he  lost  it  by  his  disobe- 
dience. But  a  way  has  been  prov'ded  by 
which  it  may  be  restored,  and  now  it  is  given 
a  second  time,  never  more  to  depart  from  the 
saints.  The  Spirit  of  God  is  so  given  to  Iiis 
own  people  as  to  become  trulj'^  theirs.  It  was, 
indeed,  given  to  our  first  parents  in  their  atate 


442  THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   FOREVER 


of  innocence,  and  dwelt  with  them,  but  not  in 
the  same  sense  in  which  it  is  given  and  dwells 
in  believers  in  Christ.  They  had  no  proper 
right  or  sure  title  to  the  Spirit,  and  it  was  not 
finally  and  forever  given  to  them,  as  it  is  to 
believers  in  Christ ;  for  if  it  had  been,  they 
never  would  have  lost  it.  But  the  Spirit  of 
Christ  is  not  only  communicated  to  those  that 
are  converted,  but  he  is  made  over  to  them  by 
a  sure  covenant,  so  that  he  is  become  their 
own.  Christ  is  become  theirs,  and  therefore 
his  fulness  is  theirs,  and  therefore  his  Spirit  is 
theirs — their  purchased,  and  promised,  and 
sure  possession.     But, 

II.  There  are  other  fruits  of  the  Sjpirit  he- 
sides  that  which  summarily  consists  in  char- 
ity^ or  divine  love^  wherein  the  Spirit  of  God 
is  comniuni Gated  to  his  church.  For  ex- 
ample, 

1.  The  Spirit  of  God  has  heen  communi- 
cated to  his  church  in  extraordinary  gifts^ 
such  as  the  gift  of  rrdracles^  the  gift-. of  inspi- 
ration^ (&G. — ^The  Spirit  of  God  seems  to  have 
been  communicated  to  the  church  in  such 
gifts,  formerly  to  the  prophets  under  the  Old 
Testament,  and  to  the  Apostles,  and  evange- 
lists, and  prophets,  and  to  the  generality  of  the 


TO    BE   COMMUNICATED    IN   LOVE.  443 


early  ministers  of  the  gospel,  and  also  to  mul- 
titudes of  common  Christians  under  the  JN^ew 
Testament.  To  tKem  were  given  such  gifts 
as  the  gift  of  prophecy,  and  the  gift  of  tongues, 
and  the  gift  called  the  gift  of  knowledge,  and 
others  mentioned  in  the  context,  and  in  the 
foregoing  chapter.     And  besides  these, 

2.  There  are  the  common  and  ordinary  gifts 
of  the  Sjnrit  of  God. — These,  in  all  ages,  have 
more  or  less  been  bestowed  on  many  natural, 
unconverted  men,  in  common  convictions  of 
sin,  and  common  illuminations,  and  common 
religious  affections,  which,  though  they  have 
nothing  in  them  of  the  nature  of  divine  love, 
or  of  true  and  saving  grace,  are  yet  the  fruits 
of  the  Spirit  in  the  sense  that  they  are  the 
effect  of  his  influences  on  the  hearts  of  men. 
And  as  to  faith  and  hope,  if  there  be  nothing 
of  divine  love  with  them,  there  can  be  no 
more  of  the  Spirit  of  God  in  them  than  is 
common  to  natural,  unregenerate  men.  This 
is  clearly  implied  by  the  Apostle,  when  he 
says,  in  this  chapter,  "Though  I  have  all 
faith,  so  that  I  could  remove  mountains,  and 
have  not  charity,  I  am  nothing."  All  saving 
faith  and  hope  have  love  in  them  as  ingre- 
dients, and  as  their  essence  ;  atid  if  this  ingnj- 


4:44:  THE   HOI.Y    SPIEIT    FOREVER 


dient  be  taken  out,  there  is  nothing  left  but 
the  body  without  the  spirit.  It  is  nothing 
saving;  but  at  best,  only  a  common  fruit  of 
the  Spirit.     But, 

III.  All  these  other  fruits  of  the  Spirit  are 
hut  for  a  season^  and  either  have  alre-ady 
ceased^  or  at  some  time  will  cease. — As  to  the 
miraculous  gifts  of  prophecy  and  tongues,  tfec, 
they  are  but  of  a  temporary  use,  and  cannot 
be  continued  in  heaven.  They  were  given 
only  as  an  extraordinary  means  of  grace  that 
God  was  once  pleased  to  grant  to  his  church 
in  the  world.  But  when  the  saints  that  once 
enjoyed  the  use  of  these  means  went  to  heav- 
en, such  means  of  grace  ceased,  for  they  were 
no  longer  needful.  There  is  no  occasion  for 
any  means  of  grace  in  heaven,  whether  ordi- 
nary, such  as  the  stated  and  common  means 
of  God's  house,  or  extraordinary,  such  as  the 
gifts  of  tongues,  and  of  knowledge,  and  of 
prophecy.  I  say  there  is  no  occasion  for  any 
of  these  means  of  grace  to  be  continued  in 
heaven,  because  there  tJie  end  of  all  means 
of  grace  is  already  fully  obtained  in  the  per- 
fect sanctification  and  happiness  of  God's 
people.  The  Apostle,  speaking  in  the  foui-tk 
chapter  of  Epheslaiis,  of  the  various  means  of 


TO   BE   COMMUNICATED   IN    LOVE.  445 


grace,  says  that  they  are  given  "  for  the  per- 
fecting of  the  saints,  for  the  work  of  the  min- 
istry, for  the  edifying  of  the  body  of  Christ, 
till  we  all  come,  in  the  unity  of  the  faith  and 
of  the  knowledge  of  the  Son  of  God,  unto  a 
perfect  man."  But  when  this  has  come  to 
pass,  and  the  saints  are  perfected,  and  are  al- 
ready come  to  the  measure  of  the  stature  of 
the  fulness  of  Christ,  then  there  will  be  no 
further  occasion  for  any  of  these  means, 
whether  ordinary  or  extraordinary.  It  is  in 
this  resj^ect,  very  much  as  it  is  with  the  fruits 
of  the  field,  which  stand  in  need  of  tillage, 
and  rain,  and  sunshine,  till  they  are  ripe  and 
gathered  in,  and  then  they  need  them  no 
more. 

And  as  these  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit 
were  but  temporary  with  regard  to  those  par- 
ticular persons  that  enjoyed  them,  so  they  are 
but  for  a  season  with  regard  to  the  church  of 
God  taken  as  a  collective  body.  These  gifts 
are  not  fruits  of  the  Spirit  tliat  were  given  to 
be  continued  to  the  church  throughout  all 
ages.  They  were  continued  in  the  church,  or 
at  least  were  granted  from  time  to  time,  though 
not  without  some  considerable  intermissions, 
from  the  beginning  of  the  world  till  the  canou 


446  THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   FOREVER 


of  the  Scriptures  was  completed.  They  were 
bestowed  on  the  church  before  the  beginning 
of  the  sacred  canon,  that  is  before  the  book  of 
Job  and  the  five  books  of  Moses  were  written. 
People  had  the  word  of  God  then  in  another 
way,  viz. :  by  immediate  revelation  from  time 
to  time  given  to  eminent  persons  who  were,  as 
it  were,  fathers  in  the  church  of  God,  and  this 
revelation  handed  down  from  them  to  others 
by  oral  tradition.  It  was  a  very  common 
thing  then  for  the  Spirit  of  God  to  communi- 
cate himself  in  dreams  and  visions,  as  appears 
by  several  passages  in  the  book  of  Job.  They 
had  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit  before 
the  flood.  God  immediately  and  miraculously 
revealed  himself  to  Adam  and  Eve,  and  so  to 
Abel,  and  to  Enoch,  who  we  are  informed 
(Jude  14)  had  the  gift  of  prophecy.  And  so 
Noah  had  immediate  revelations  made  to  him, 
and  he  warned  the  old  world  from  God ;  and 
Christ,  by  his  Spirit  speaking  through  him, 
went  and  preached  to  the  spirits  that -are  now 
in  prison,  who  w^ere  sometime  disobedient 
when  once  the  long-sufl^ering  of  God  waited 
while  the  ark  was  preparing,  1  Pet.  iii.  19,  20. 
And  so  Abraham,  and  Isaac,  and  Jacob  were 
favored  with  immediate  revelations ;  and  Jo- 


TO    BE   COMMUNICAIED    IN    LOVE.  447 


sepli  had  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  and 
60  had  Job  and  his  friends.  From  this  time, 
there  seems  to  have  been  an  intermission  of 
the  extraordinary  gifts  of  the  Spirit  until  the 
time  of  Moses ;  and  from  his  time  they  were 
continued  in  a  succession  of  prophets  that  was 
kept  up,  though  not  again  without  some  inter- 
ruptions, till  the  time  of  Malachi.  After  that, 
there  seems  to  have  been  a  long  intermission 
of  several  hundred  years,  till  the  dawn  of  the 
gospel  day,  when  the  Spirit  began  again  to 
be  given  in  his  extraordinary  gifts,  as  to  Anna, 
and  Simeon,  and  Zacharias,  and  Elizabeth,  and 
Mary,  and  Joseph,  and  John  the  Baptist. 

These  communications  of  the  Spirit  were 
given  to  make  way  for  him  who  hath  the 
Spirit  without  measure,  the  great  prophet  of 
God,  by  whom  the  Sj^irit  is  communicated  to 
all  other  prophets.  And  in  the  days  of  his 
flesh,  his  disciples  had  a  measure  of  the  mi- 
laculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit,  being  enabled 
thus  to  teach  and  to  work  miracles.  But  after 
the  resurrection  and  ascension,  was  the  most 
full  and  remarkable  effusion  of  the  Spirit  in 
his  miraculous  gifts  that  ever  took  place,  be- 
ginning with  the  day  of  Pentecost,  after  Christ 
had  risen  and  ascended  to  heaven.     And  in 


448  THE   HOLY   SPIKIT   FOREVER 


consequence  of  this,  not  only  here  and  there 
an  extraordinary  person  was  endowed  with 
tliese  extraordinary  gifts,  but  they  were  com- 
mon in  the  church,  and  so  continued  during 
the  lifetime  of  the  Apostles,  or  till  the  death 
of  the  last  of  them,  even  the  Apostle  John, 
w^hich  took  place  about  an  hundred  years  from 
the  birth  of  Christ ;  so  that  the  first  hundred 
years  of  the  Christian  era,  or  the  first  century, 
was  the  era  of  miracles.  But  soon  after  that, 
the  canon  of  Scripture  being  completed  when 
the  Apostle  John  had  written  the  book  of 
Revelation,  which  he  wrote  not  long  before  his 
death,  these  miraculous  gifts  were  no  longer 
continued  in  the  church.  For  there  was  now 
completed  an  established  written  revelation 
of  the  mind  and  will  of  God,  wherein  God 
had  fully  recorded  a  standing  and  all-suffi- 
cient rule  for  his  church  in  all  ages.  And  the 
Jewish  church  and  nation  being  overthrown^ 
and  the  Christian  church  and  the  last  dispen- 
Bation  of  the  church  of  God  being  established, 
the  miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit  were  no 
longer  needed,  and  therefore  they  ceased  ;  for 
tliouo-h  thev  had  been  continued  in  the  church 
for  so  many  ages,  yet  then  they  failed,  and 
God  caused  them  to  fail  because  there  was  no 


TO   BE   COISIMUNICATED   IN    LOVE.  449 


further  occasion  for  them.  And  so  was  ful- 
filled the  saying  of  the  text,  "  Whether  there 
be  prophecies,  they  shall  fail :  whether  there 
be  tongues,  they  shall  cease ;  whether  there 
be  knowledge,  it  shall  vanish  away."  And 
now  there  seems  to  be  an  end  to  all  such 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  as  these,  and  we  have  no 
reason  to  expect  them  any  more.  And  as  to 
those  fruits  of  the  Spirit  that  are  common, 
such  as  the  conviction,  illumination,  belief, 
&c.,  which  are  common  both  to  the  godly  and 
ungodly,  these  are  given  in  all  ages  of  the 
church  in  the  world  ;  and  yet  with  respect  to 
the  persons  that  have  these  common  gifts, 
they  will  cease  when  they  come  to  die  ;  and 
with  respect  to  the  church  of  God  considered 
collectively,  they  will  cease,  and  there  will  be 
no  more  of  them  after  the  day  of  judgment. 
I  pass,  then,  to  show,  as  proposed, 

lY.  That  charity^  or  divine  love^  is  that 
great  fruit  of  the  Spirit  that  never  fails  ^  and 
in  which  his  continued  and  everlasting  influ- 
ence and  indwelling  in  his  churchy  shall  ap- 
pear and  he  inanifest. — ^We  have  seen  that 
the  Spirit  of  Christ  is  forever  given  to  the 
church  of  Christ,  and  given  that  it  may  dwell 
in  his  saints  forever,  in  influences  that  shall 


150  THE   HOLT   SPIRIT   FOREVER 


never  fail.  And  therefore  however  many 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  may  be  but  temporary,  and 
have  their  limits  where  they  fail,  yet  it  must 
be  that  there  is  someway  of  the  Spirit's  influ- 
ence, and  some  fruit  of  that  influence,  which 
is  unfailing  and  eternal.  And  chanty,  or  di- 
vine love  is  that  fruit,  in  communicating,  and 
nourishing,  and  exercising  which,  his  unfailing 
and  eternal  influences  appear.  This  is  a  fruit 
of  the  Spirit  that  never  fails  or  ceases  in  the 
church  of  Christ,  whether  we  consider  it  with 
respect  to  its  particular  members,  or  regard 
it  as  a  collective  body.     And, 

1.  We  may  consider  the  church  of  Christ 
with  respect  to  the  particular  Tnernbers  of 
which  it  consists. — And  here  it  will  appear 
that  charity,  or  Christian  love,  is  an  unfailing 
fruit  of  the  spirit.  Every  one  of  the  true 
members  of  Christ's  invisible  church,  is  pos- 
sessed of  this  fruit  of  the  spirit  in  the  heart. 
Divine  or  Christian  love,  is  implanted,  and 
dwells,  and  reigns  there,  as  an  everlasting 
fruit  of  the  spirit,  and  one  that  nev^er  fails.  It 
never  fails  in  this  world,  but  remains  throuirh 
all  trials  and  oppositions,  for  the  Apostle  tells 
us  (Romans  viii.  S8,  39),  that  nothing  "  shall 
be  able  to  separate  us  from  the  love  of  God, 


TO   BE   COMMUNICATED   IN   LOVE.  451 


which  is  in  Christ  Jesus  our  Loid."  And  it 
ceases  not  when  the  saints  come  to  die.  When 
the  Apostles  and  others  of  their  day  died  and 
went  to  heaven,  they  left  all  their  miraculous 
gifts  behind  them  with  their  bodies.  But  they 
did  not  leave  the  love  that  was  in  their  hearts 
behind  them,  but  carried  that  with  them  to 
heaven,  where  it  was  gloriously  perfected. 
Though  when  wicked  men  die,  who  have  had 
the  common  influences  of  the  Spiut^  their  gifts 
shall  eternally  cease,  yet  death  never  over- 
throws Christian  love,  that  great  fruit  of  the 
Spirit,  in  any  that  have  it.  They  that  have 
it,  may  and  shall  leave  behind  them  many 
other  fruits  of  the  Spirit  which  the;y  had  in 
common  with  wicked  men.  And  though  they 
shall  leave  all  that  was  common  in  their  faith, 
and  hope,  and  all  that  did  not  pertain  to  this 
divine  and  holy  love,  yet  this  love  they  shall 
not  leave  behind,  but  it  shall  go  with  them  to 
eternity,  and  shall  be  perfected  there,  and 
shall  live  and  reign  with  perfect  and  glorious 
dominion  in  their  souls  forever  and  ever.  And 
so,  again, 

2.  We  may  consider  the  church  of  Christ 
collectively,  or  as  a  body. — And  here,  again, 
it  will  appear  that  charity,  or  Christian  love, 


452  THE   HOLY   SPIKIT   FOKEVER 


shall  never  fail.  Though  other  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  fail  in  it,  this  shall  never  fail.  Of  old, 
when  there  were  interruptions  of  the  miracu- 
lous gifts  of  the  Spirit  in  the  church,  and  when 
there  were  seasons  in  which  no  prophet  or  in- 
spired person  appeared  that  was  possessed  of 
such  gifts,  still  there  never  was  any  total  in- 
terruption of  this  excellent  fruit  or  influence 
of  the  Spirit.  Miraculous  gifts  were  inter- 
mitted through  the  long  time  extending  from 
Malachi  to  near  the  birth  of  Christ ;  but  in 
all  this  time,  the  influence  of  the  Spirit  in 
keeping  up  divine  love  in  the  church,  was 
never  suspended.  As  God  always  had  a 
church  of  saint-s  in  the  world,  from  the  first 
creation  of  the  church  after  the  fall,  so  this 
influence  and  fruit  of  his  spirit  never  failed  in 
it.  And  when  after  the  completion  of  the 
canon  of  tlie  Scriptures,  the  miraculous  gifts 
of  the  Spirit  seemed  finally  to  have  ceased  and 
failed  in  the  church,  this  influence  of  the 
Spirit  in  causing  divine  love  in  the  hearts  of 
his  saints  did  not  cease,  but  has  been  kept  up 
through  all  ages  from  that  time  to  this,  and 
so  will  be  to  the  end  of  the  world.  And  at 
the  end  of  the  world,  when  the  church  of 
Christ  shall  be  settled  in  its  last,  and  most 


TO    BE    COMMUNICATED    IN    LOVE.  453 


complete,  and  its  eternal  state,  and  lU  common 
gifts,  such  as  convictions  and  illuminations, 
and  all  miraculous  gifts  shall  be  eternally  at 
an  end,  yet  then  divine  love  shall  not  fail,  but 
shall  be  brought  to  its  most  glorious  perfection 
in  every  individual  member  of  the  ransomed 
church  above.  Then,  in  every  heart,  that  love 
which  now  seems  as  bu^.  a  spark,  shall  be 
kindled  to  a  bright  and  glowing  flame,  and 
every  ransomed  soul  shall  be  as  it  were  in  a 
blaze  of  divine  and  holy  love,  and  shall  re- 
main and  grow  in  this  glorious  ^^erfection  and 
blessedness  through  all  eternity  ! 

I  shall  give  but  a  single  reason  for  the  truth 
of  the  doctrine  which  has  thus  been  presented. 
And  the  great  reason  why  it  is  so,  that  other 
fruits  of  the  Spirit  fail,  and  the  great  fruit  of 
love  remains,  is,  that  love  is  the  great  end  of 
all  the  other  fruits  and  gifts  of  the  Spirit, 
The  principle  and  the  exercises  of  divdne  love 
in  the  heart,  and  the  fruits  of  it  in  the  con- 
duct, and  the  ha2)piness  that  consists  in  and 
flows  from  it,  these  things  are  the  great  end 
of  all  the  fruits  of  the  Spirit  that  fail.  Charity 
or  divine  love  is  the  end,  to  which  all  the  in- 
spiration, and  all  the  miraculous  gifts  that 
<jver  were  in  the  world,  are  but  the  means. 
.SO 


4:54  THE    HOLY    SPIRIT    FOKEVEE 


They  were  only  means  of  grace,  but  charity 
^r  divine  love  is  grace  itself ;  and  not  only  so, 
but  the  sum  of  all  grace.  Revelation  and 
miracles  were  never  given  for  any  other  end, 
but  only  to  promote  holiness,  and  build  up 
the  kingdom  of  Christ  in  men's  hearts ;  but 
Christian  love  is  the  sum  of  all  holiness,  and 
its  growth  is  but  the  growth  of  Christ's  king- 
dom in  the  soul.  The  extraordinary  fruits  of 
the  Spirit  were  given  for  revealing  and  con- 
firming the  word  and  will  of  God,  that  men 
by  believing  might  be  conformed  to  that  vrill ; 
and' they  were  valuable  and  good,  only  so  far 
as  they  tended  to  this  end.  And  hence  when 
that  end  was  obtained,  and  when  the  canon 
of  the  Scriptures,  the  great  and  powerful 
means  of  grace  was  completed,  and  the  ordi- 
nances of  the  New  Testament  and  of  the  last 
dispensation  were  fully  established,  the  ex- 
traordinary gifts  ceased  and  came  to  an  end 
as  being  no  further  useful.  Miraculous  gifts 
being  a  means  to  a  further  end,  they  are  good 
no  further  than  as  they  tend  to  that  end. 
But  divine  love  is  that  end  itself,  and  there- 
fore remains  when  the  means  to  it  cease.  The 
end  is  not  only  a  good,  but  the  highest  kind 
of  good  in  itself,  and  therefore  remains  for 


TO    BE   COMMUNICATED    IN    LOVE.  455 


ever.  So  it  is  with  res23ect  to  the  common 
gifts  of  the  Spirit  that  are  given  in  all  ages, 
such  as  illumination,  conviction,  &c.  They 
have  no  good  in  themselves,  and  are  no  fur- 
ther good  than  as  they  tend  to  promote  that 
grace  and  holiness  which  radically  and  sum- 
marily consist  in  divine  love,  and  therefore 
when  this  end  is  once  fully  answered,  there 
shall  be  an  end  forever  of  these  common  gifts, 
while  divine  love,  which  is  the  end  of  them 
all,  shall  eternally  remain. 

In  the  application  of  this  subject,  I  would 
remark, 

1.  That  there  seems  to  he  no  reason  to  think^ 
as  some  have  thought^  that  the  extraordinary 
gifts  of  the  Spirit  are  to  he  restored  to  the 
church  in  the  future  and  glorious  times  of  her 
latter  day  prosperity  and  hlessedness. — Many 
divines  have  been  of  the  opinion,  that  when 
the  latter  day  glory  of  the  church  which  is 
spoken  of  in  the  word  of  God  shall  come, 
there  will  again  be  prophets,  and  men  en- 
dowed with  the  gifts  of  tongues  and  of  work- 
ing miracles,  as  was  the  case  in  the  times  of 
the  AposUos  ;  and  some  now  living  seem  to 
be  of  the  same  mind. 

But  from  what  the  Apostle  says  in  the  text 


4:56  THE    HOLY    SPIRIT    FOEEVER 


and  context,  it  seems  as  thougli  we  had  no 
leason  to  imagine  any  sucli  thing  from  what 
the  Scriptures  say  of  tlie  glorionsness  of  those 
times,  or  because  it  speaks  of  the  state  of  the 
church  then  as  being  more  glorious  than  ever 
before,  and  as  though  the  Spirit  of  God  would 
then  be  poured  out  in  more  abundant  measure 
than  ever  in  times  past.  All  these  things 
may  be,  and  yet  there  be  no  such  extraordinary 
gifts  bestowed  on  the  church.  When  the 
Spirit  of  God  is  poured  out  for  the  purpose  of 
producing  and  promoting  divine  love,  he  is 
poured  out  in  a  more  excellent  way  than  when 
he  is  manifested  in  miraculous  gifts.  This 
the  Apostle  expressly  teaches  in  the  latter 
part  of  the  foregoing  chapter,  where  after 
enumerating  many  miraculous  gifts,  he  advises 
Christians  to  covet  or  desire  the  best  of  them, 
but  then  adds,  ''But  yet  I  show  unto  you  a 
more  excellent  way,"  namely,  to  seek  the 
influence  of  the  Spirit  of  God,  working  charity 
or  divine  love  in  the  heart.  Surely  t-lie  Scrip- 
tures, when  speaking  of  the  future 'glorious 
state  of  the  church  as  being  such  an  excellent 
state,  give  us  no  reason  to  conclude  that  the 
Spirit  of  God  will  be  poured  out  then  in  any 
othei"  way  than  iji  the  most  excellent  way. 


TO   BE    COMMUNICATED    IN    LOYE.  457 


And  doubtless  the  most  excellent  way  of  the 
Spirit,  is  for  the  most  excellent  state  of  the 
church. 

The  future  state  of  the  church  being  so 
much  more  perfect  than  in  previous  times, 
does  not  tend  to  prove  that  then  there  shall 
be  miraculous  gifts,  but  rather  the  contrary. 
For  the  Apostle  himself,  in  the  text  and  con- 
text, speaks  of  these  extraordinary  gifts  ceas- 
ing and  vanishing  away  to  give  place  for  a 
kind  of  fruits  or  influences  of  tlie  Spirit  that 
are  more  perfect.  If  you  do  but  read  the 
text  in  connection  with  the  two  following 
verses,  you  will  see  that  the  reason  implied 
why  prophecy  and  tongues  fail,  and  charity 
remains,  is  this,  that  the  imperfect  gives  way 
to  the  perfect,  and  the  less  excellent  to  the 
more  excellent ;  and  the  more  excellent,  he 
declares,  is  charity  or  love.  Prophecy  and 
miracles  argue  the  imperfection  of  the  state 
of  the  church,  rather  than  its  perfection.  For 
they  are  means  designed  by  God  as  a  stay  or 
Gupport,  or  as  a  leading-string,  if  I  may  so 
say,  to  the  church  in  its  infancy,  rather  than 
as  means  adapted  to  it  in  its  full  growth  ;  and 
as  such  the  Apostle  seems  to  speak  of  them. 
"When  the  Christian  church  first  began,  after 


4:58  THE   HOLY   SPIRIT   FOREVER 


the  ascension  of  Christ,  it  was  in  its  infancy, 
and  then  it  needed  miracles,  &c.,  to  establish 
it ;  but  being  once  established,  and  the  canon 
of  the  Scriptures  being  completed,  they  ceased, 
which,  according  to  the  Apostle's  arguing, 
shows  their  imperfection,  and  how  much  in- 
ferior thej  are  to  that  fruit  or  influence  of  the 
Holy  Spirit  which  is  seen  in  divine  love. 
AYhy,  then,  should  we  expect  that  they  should 
be  restored  again,  when  the  church  is  in  its 
most  perfect  state  ?  All  these  miraculous  gifts 
the  Apostle  seems  to  call  "  childish  things," 
in  comparison  with  the  nobler  fruit  of  Chris- 
tian love.  They  are  adapted  to  the  childish 
state  of  the  church,  while  holy  love  is  more  to 
be  expected  in  its  full  grown  and  manly  state ; 
and  in  themselv^es  they  are  childish,  in  com 
parison  with  that  holy  love  which  will  so 
abound  in  the  church  when  it  comes  to  its 
perfect  stature  in  Christ  Jesus. 

Nor  is  the  gloriousness  of  the  future  times 
of  the  church  any  argument  for  the  continu- 
ance, in  those  times,  of  the  miraculous  gifts 
of  the  Spirit.  For  surely  the  state  of  the 
church  then  will  not  be  more  glorious  than  the 
heavenly  state ;  and  yet  the  Apostle  teaches 
that  in  the  heavenly  state  all  these  gifts  shall 


TO   BE   COMMUNICATED   IN   LOVE.  459 


be  at  an  end,  and  the  influence  of  the  Spirit 
in  producing  divine  love  only  shall  remain. 
]^or  does  it  appear  that  there  shall  be  any 
need  of  miraculous  gifts  in  order  to  the  bring- 
ing about  of  the  future  glorious  times  of  the 
church  ;  for  God  is  able  to  bring  them  about 
without  the  instrumentality  of  these  gifts. 
If  the  Spirit  of  God  be  poured  out  in  only  his 
gracious  influences  in  converting  souls,  and  in 
kindling  divine  love  in  them  in  such  measure 
as  he  may  and  will,  this  will  be  enough,  with- 
out new  revelations  or  miracles,  to  produce 
all  the  effects  that  need  to  be  produced  in 
order  to  the  bringing  in  of  the  glorious  times 
of  which  we  are  speaking  ;  as  we  may  all  be 
convinced  by  the  little  we  have  seen  in  the 
late  outpouring  of  the  Spirit  in  this  and  tlie 
neighboring  towns.  If  we  needed  any  new 
rule  to  go  by,  and  the  common  influences  of 
the  Spirit  together  with  the  word  of  God  were 
insufficient,  then  there  might  be  some  necessity 
for  restoring  miracles.  But  there  is  no  need 
whatever  of  new  Scriptures  being  given,  or  of 
any  additions  being  made  to  those  we  have, 
for  they  are  in  themselves  a  perfect  rule  fi>r 
our  faith  and  practice;  and  as  there  is  no  need 
of  a  new  canon  of  Scripture,  so  there  is  no 


460  THE    HOLY    SPIRIT    FOREVER 


need  of  those  miraculous  gifts,  the  great  object 
of  which  was,  either  to  confirm  the  Scriptures, 
or  to  make  up  for  the  want  of  them  when  as 
yet  they  had  not  been  given  by  the  inspiring 
Spirit. 

2.  The  subject  we  have  heen  considering 
should  make  persons  exceedingly  cautious  how 
they  give  heed  to  anything  that  may  looh  like 
a  new  revelation^  or  that  may  clahn  to  he  any 
extraordinary  gift  of  the  Spirit. — Sometimes  a 
person  may  have  an  impression  in  his  mind 
as  to  something  that  he  thinks  immediately 
revealed  to  him  that  is  to  come  to  pass  con- 
cerning himself  or  some  of  his  relatives  or 
friends ;  or  as  to  something  that  is  to  come  to 
pass  that  before  was  hid  from  him,  and  if  it 
had  not  been  revealed,  would  remain  still  a 
secret ;  or  perhaps  he  thinks  it  has  been  re- 
vealed to  him  what  is  the  spiritual  state  of 
some  other  person,  or  of  his  own  soul,  in  some 
other  way  than  by  the  Scriptural  marks  and 
evidences  of  grace  in  the  heart.  Sometimes 
persons  imagine  that  they  have  an  immediate 
direction  from  heaven  to  go  and  do  this,  or 
that,  or  the  other  thing,  by  impressions  im- 
mediately made  on  their  minds,  or  in  some 
other  way  than  by  learning  from  Scripture  or 


TO   BE   COMMUNICATED   IN   LOVE.  461 


reason  that  it  is  their  duty.  And  sometimes 
they  fancy  that  God  immediately  reveals  to 
them  by  a  dream  what  the  future  shall  be. 
But  all  these  things,  if  they  were  from  God's 
Spirit,  would  be  of  the  nature  of  those  extraor- 
dinary gifts  of  the  Spirit  which  the  Apostle 
says  do  cease  and  are  done  away,  and  which 
having  long  since  failed  there  is  no  reason  to 
suppose  that  God  will  restore  again.  And  if 
they  are  not  from  God's  Spirit,  they  are  but 
gross  delusions.     And  once  more, 

3.  Tlie  subject  teaches  how  greatly  we  should 
value  those  influences  and  fruits  of  the  Spirit 
which  are  evidences  of  true  grace  in  the  soul^ 
and  which  are  all  summarily  Included  in 
charity^  or  divine  love. — ^This  is  the  end  and 
design  of  the  Apostle  in  the  text  and  context, 
to  teach  us  to  value  this  charity  or  love,  by 
showing  that  it  never  fails,  though  all  the 
miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit  do  fail  and  come 
to  an  end.  This  grace  is  the  most  excellent 
fruit  of  the  Spirit,  without  which  the  most  ex- 
traordinary and  miraculous  gifts  are  nothing. 
This  is  the  great  end  to  which  they  are  but  the 
means  /  and  which  is,  of  course,  more  excellent 
than  all  these  means.  Let  us  all  therefore 
earnestly  seek  this  blessed  fruit  of  the  Spirit, 


4G2  THE   HOLT   SPIRIT   FOREVEK,  ETC. 


and  let  us  seek  that  it  may  abound  in  our 
souls;  that  the  love  of  God  may  more  and 
more  be  shed  abroad  in  our  hearts ;  and  that 
we  may  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ  in  sincerity, 
and  love  one  another  as  Christ  hath  loved  us. 
Thus  we  shall  possess  the  richest  of  all  treasures, 
and  the  highest  and  most  excellent  of  all 
graces.  Having  within  us  that  love  which  is 
immortal  in  its  nature,  we  shall  have  the 
surest  evidence  that  our  immortality  will  be 
blessed,  and  that  our  hope  of  eternal  life  is 
that  good  hope  which  shall  never  disappoint 
us.  Love  cherished  in  the  soul  on  earth,  will 
be  to  us  the  foretaste  of,  and  the  preparation 
for  that  w^orld  which  is  a  world  of  love,  and 
where  the  Spirit  of  love  reigns  and  blesses 
forever. 


LECTURE  XVI. 

HEAVEN,    A    WORLD   OF    CHARITY,    OR    LOVK. 

'Chanty  ne^^er  faileth.  But  whether  there  be  prophe- 
cies, they  shall  fail ;  whether  there  be  tongues,  they  shall 
cease ;  whether  there  be  knowledge,  it  sliall  vanish  away. 
For  we  know  in  part,  and  we  prophesy  in  part.  But  when 
that  which  is  pef  feet  is  come,  then  that  which  is  in  part  shall 
be  done  away." — 1  Cor.  xiii.  8,  9,  10. 

From  the  first  of  these  verses,  I  have  ah*eady 
drawn  the  doctrine,  that  that  great  fruit  of  the 
Spirit  in  which  the  Holj  Ghost  shall  not  only 
for  a  season,  but  everlastingly  be  communica- 
ted to  the  church  of  Christ,  is  charity  or  divine 
love.  And  now  I  would  consider  the  same 
verse  in  connection  with  the  two  that  follow 
it,  and  upon  the  three  verses  would  make  two 
observations. 

First^  That  it  is  mentioned  as  one  great 
excellence  of  charity,  that  it  shall  remain 
when  all  other  fruits  of  the  Spirit  have  failed. 
And, 


4:64  HEAVEN, 

Second^  That  this  will  come  to  pass  in  the 
perfect  state  of  the  church,  when  that  which 
is  in  part  shall  be  done  away,  and  that  which 
is  perfect  is  come. 

There  is  a  two-fold  imperfect^  and  so  a  two- 
fold perfect  state  of  the  Christian  church.  The 
church  in  its  beginning,  or  in  its  first  age, 
before  it  was  strongly  established  in  the  world, 
and  settled  in  its  New  Testament  state,  and 
before  the  canon  of  Scripture  was  completed, 
was  in  an  imperfect  state — a  state,  as  it  were, 
of  childhood,  in  comparison  with  what  it  was 
to  be  in  its  elder  and  later  ages  when  it  should 
have  reached  its  state  of  manhood,  or  of  com- 
parative earthly  perfection.  And  so,  again, 
this  comparatively  perfect  church  of  Christ, 
so  long  as  it  remains  in  its  militant  state,  that 
is,  down  to  the  end  of  time,  will  still  be  in  an 
imperfect,  and  as  it  were  in  a  childish  state  in 
comparison  with  what  it  will  be  in  its  heavenly 
state,  in  which  latter  it  is  comparatively  in  its 
state  of  manhood  or  perfection. 

And  so  there  is  a  two-fold  failing  of  these 
miraculous  gifts  of  the  Spirit  here  mentioned. 
One  was  at  the  end  of  the  first  or  infant  age 
of  the  church,  when  the  canon  of  Scripture 
K^as  completed,  and  so  there  was  to  be  no  need 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  465 


of  such  gifts  for  the  church  in  its  latter  ages, 
when  it  should  have  put  away  childish  things, 
and  come  to  a  state  of  manhood  before  the  end 
of  tiie  world,  and  when  the  Spirit  of  God 
should  most  gloriously  be  poured  out  and 
manifested  in  that  love  or  cliarity,  which  is  its 
greatest  and  everlasting  fruit.  And  the  other 
will  be,  when  all  the  common  fruits  of  the 
Spirit  cease  with  respect  to  particular  persons 
at  death,  and  with  respect  to  the  whole  church 
at  the  end  of  the  world,  while  charity  shall 
still  remain  in  heaven,  and  there  the  Spirit  of 
God  shall  be  poured  forth  and  manifested  iu 
perfect  love  in  every  heart  to  all  eternity. 

The  Apostle,  in  the  context,  seems  to  have 
respect  to  both  these  states  of  the  church,  but 
especially  to  tlie  latter.  For  though  the  glori- 
ous state  of  the  church  in  its  latter  age  on 
earth,  will  be  perfect  in  comparison  with  its 
former  state,  yet  its  state  in  heaven  is  that 
state  of  the  church  to  which  the  expressions 
of  the  Apostle  seem  most  agreeable,  when  he 
says,  "when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come, 
&c.,"  and  "  now  we  see  through  a  glass  darkly, 
but  then  face  to  face ;  now  I  know  in  part, 
but   then  shall  I  know   even   as   also  I  am 


i66  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


known."  The  doctrine,  then,  that  I  woull 
draw  from  the  text,  is,  that 

Heaven  is  a  world  of  charity,  or  love. 

The  Apostle  speaks,  in  the  text,  of  a  state 
of  the  church  when  it  is  perfect  in  heaven, 
and  therefore  a  state  in  which  the  Holy  Sj)irit 
shall  be  more  perfectly  and  abmidantly  given 
to  the  church  than  it  is  now  on  earth.  But 
the  way  in  which  it  shall  be  given  when  it  is 
so  abundantly  poured  forth,  will  be  in  that 
great  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  holy  and  divine  love 
in  the  hearts  of  all  the  blessed  inhabitants  of 
that  world.  So  that  tJie  heavenly  state  of  the 
church,  is  a  state  that  is  distinguished  from 
its  earthly  state,  as  it  is  that  state  which  God 
has  designed  especially  for  such  a  communica- 
tion of  his  Holy  Spirit,  and  in  which  it  shall 
be  given  perfectly,  whereas  in  the  present 
state  of  the  church  it  is  giv^en  with  great  im- 
perfection. And  it  is  also  a  state  in  which 
this  holy  love  or  charity  shall  be,  as  it  were, 
the  only  gift  or  fruit  of  the  Spirit,  as  being  the 
most  perfect  and  glorious  of  all,  and  which 
being  brought  to  perfection  renders  all  other 
gifts  that  God  was  wont  to  bestow  on  his 
church  on  earth,  needless.  And  that  we  may 
the  better  see  how  heaven  is  thus  a  world  of 


467 


holy  love,  I  would  consider  first^  the  great 
cause  and  fountain  of  love  that  is  in  heaven ; 
second^  the  objects  of  love  that  it  contains  ; 
thirds  the  subjects  of  that  love ;  fourth^  its 
principle,  or  the  love  itself ;  Ji/th^  the  excellent 
circumstances  in  which  it  is  there  exercised 
and  expressed  and  enjoyed ;  and  sixth^  the 
ha2)py  effects  and  fruits  of  all  this.     And, 

I.  The  CAUSE  and  fountain  of  love  in  heav- 
en. Here  I  remark  that  tlie  God  of  love  him- 
self dwells  in  heaven.  Heaven  is  the  palace 
or  presence-chamber  of  the  high  and  holy  One, 
whose  name  is  love,  and  who  is  both  the  cause 
and  source  of  all  holy  love.  God,  considered 
with  respect  to  his  essence,  is  everywhere  :  he 
fills  both  heaven  and  earth.  But  yet  he  is 
said,  in  some  respects,  to  be  more  especially 
in  some  places  than  in  others.  He  was  said 
of  old  to  dwell  in  the  land  of  Israel,  above  all 
other  lands ;  and  in  Jerusalem,  above  all 
other  cities  of  that  land  ;  and  in  the  temple, 
above  all  other  buildings  in  the  city  ;  and  in 
the  holy  of  holies,  above  all  other  apartments 
of  the  temple ;  and  on  the  mercy-seat  over 
the  ark  of  the  covenant,  above  all  other  places 
in  the  holy  of  holies.  Bat  heaven  is  his  dwell- 
ing-place above  all  other  places  in  the  uni- 


468 


verse;  and  all  those  places  in  wLicli  he  was 
said  to  dwell  of  old,  were  but  types  of  this. 
Heaven  is  a  part  of  creation  that  God  has 
built  for  this  end,  to  be  the  place  of  his  glori- 
ous 23resence,  and  it  is  his  abode  forever  ;  and 
liere  will  he  dwell,  and  gloriously  manifest 
himself  to  all  eternity. 

And  this  renders  heaven  a  world  of  love  ; 
for  God  is  the  fountain  of  love,  as  the  sun  is 
the  fountain  of  light.  And  therefore  the  glo- 
rious presence  of  God  in  heaven,  fills  heaven 
with  love,  as  the  sun  placed  in  the  midst  of 
the  visible  heavens  in  a  clear  day,  fills  the 
world  with  light.  The  Apostle  tells  us  that 
"God  is  love  ;"  and  therefore,  seeing  he  is  an 
infinite  being,  it  follows  that  he  is  an  infinite 
fountain  of  love.  Seeing  he  is  an  all-sufficient 
being,  it  follows  that  he  is  a  full,  and  over- 
flowing, and  inexhaustible  fountain  of  love. 
And  in  that  he  is  an  unchangeable  and  eternal 
being,  he  is  an  unchangeable  and  eternal  foun- 
tain of  love. 

There,  even  in  heaven,  dwells  the  God  from 
whom  every  stream  of  holy  love,  yea,  every 
drop  that  is,  or  ever  was,  proceeds.  There 
dwells  God  the  Father,  God  the  Son,  and  God 
the  Spirit,  united  as  one,  in  infinitely  dear, 


CHAEITY,    OR    LOVE.  469 


and  incomj,reliensible,  and  mutual,  and  eternal 
love.  There  dwells  God  the  Father,  who  is 
the  father  of  mercies,  and  so  the  father  of  love, 
who  so  loved  the  world  as  to  give  his  only-be- 
gotten Son  to  die  for  it.  There  dwells  Christ, 
the  Lamb  of  God,  the  prince  of  peace  and  of 
love,  who  so  loved  the  world  that  he  shed  his 
blood,  and  poured  out  his  soul  unto  death  for 
men.  There  dwells  the  great  Mediator,  through 
wdiom  all  the  divine  love  is  expressed  toward 
men,  and  by  whom  the  fruits  of  that  love  have 
been  purchased,  and  through  whom  they  are 
communicated,  and  through  whom  love  is 
imj^arted  to  the  hearts  of  all  God's  people. 
There  dwells  Christ  in  both  his  natures,  the 
human  and  the  divine,  sitting  on  the  same 
throne  with  the  Father.  And  there  dwells  the 
Holy  Spirit,  the  spirit  of  divine  love,  in  whom 
the  very  essence  of  God,  as  it  were,  flows  out 
and  is  breathed  forth  in  love,  and  by  whose 
immediate  influence  all  holy  love  is  shed 
abroad  in  the  hearts  of  all  the  saints  on  earth 
and  in  heaven.  There,  in  heaven,  this  infinite 
fountain  of  love — this  eternal  three  in  one — is 
eet  open  without  any  obstacle  to  hinder  access 
to  it,  as  it  flow^s  forevei*.     There  this  glorious 

God  is  manifested   and    shines  forth,  in  full 
^1 


470  HEAVEN,    A   WOKLD   OF 


glory,  in  beams  of  love.  And  there  this  glori- 
ous fountain  forever  flows  forth  in  streams, 
yea,  in  rivers  of  love  and  delight,  and  these 
rivers  swell,  as  it  were,  to  an  ocean  of  love,  in 
which  the  souls  of  the  ransomed  may  bathe 
with  the  sweetest  enjoyment,  and  their  hearts, 
as  it  were,  be  deluged  with  love  !  Again,  I 
would  consider  heaven,  with  regard, 

11.  To  the  OBJECTS  cf  love  that  it  contains. 
And  here  I  would  observe  three  things. 

1.  There  are  none  hut  lovely  objects  in  heav- 
en.— JSTo  odious,  or  unlovely,  or  polluted  per- 
son or  thing  is  to  be  seen  there.  There  is 
nothing  there  that  is  wicked  or  unholy.  ''There 
shall  in  no  wise  enter  into  it  anything  that 
defileth,  neither  whatsoever  worketh  abomina- 
tion," Kev.  xxi.  27.  And  there  is  nothing  that 
is  deformed  with  any  natural  or  moral  defor- 
mity ;  but  everything  is  beauteous  to  behold, 
and  amiable,  and  excellent  in  itself.  The 
God  that  dwells  and  gloriously  manifests  him- 
self there,  is  infinitely  lovely ;  gloriously' lovely 
as  a  heavenly  Father,  as  a  divine  Redeemer 
and  as  a  holy  sanctifier. 

All  the  persons  that  belong  to  the  blessed 
society  of  heaven  are  lovely.  The  Father  of 
tlie  famJly  is  lovely,  and  so  are  all  his  chil 


CHARITY,    OE    LOVE.  471 


dren  ;  the  head  of  tlie  body  lovely,  and  so  are 
aJl  the  members.  Among  the  angels  there 
are  none  that  are  unlovely ;  for  they  are  all 
holy ;  and  no  evil  angels  are  suffered  to  infest 
heaven  as  they  do  this  world,  but  they  are 
kept  forever  at  a  distance  by  that  great  gulf 
which  is  between  them  and  the  glorious  world 
of  love.  And  among  all  the  company  of  the 
saints  there  are  no  unlovely  persons.  There 
are  no  false  professors  or  hypocrites  there ; 
none  that  pretend  to  be  saints,  and  yet  are  of 
an  unchristian  and  hateful  spirit  or  behavior, 
as  is  often  the  case  in  this  world ;  none  whose 
gold  has  not  been  purified  from  its  dross  ;  none 
who  are  not  lovely  in  themselves  and  to  others. 
There  is  no  one  object  there  to  give  offence,  or 
at  any  time  to  give  occasion  for  any  passion 
or  emotion  of  hatred  or  dislike,  but  every 
object  there  shall  forever  draw  forth  love. 

And  not  only  shall  all  objects  in  heaven  be 
lovely,  but 

2.  They  shall  he  perfectly  lovely. — There  are 
many  things  in  this  world  that  in  the  general 
are  lovely,  but  yet  are  not  perfectly  free  fi  om 
that  which  is  the  contrary.  There  are  spots 
on  the  sun ;  and  so  there  are  many  men  that 
are  most  amiable  and  worthy  to  be  loved,  wIic 


4:72  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


Yet  are  not  without  some  tliino^s  chat  are  dis* 
agreeable  and  unlovely.  Often  tliere  is  in 
good  men  some  defect  of  temper,  or  character, 
or  conduct,  that  mars  the  excellence  of  wha« 
otherwise  would  seem  most  amiable;  and  even 
the  very  best  of  men  are,  on  earth,  imperfect. 
But  it  is  not  so  in  heaven.  There  shall  be  no 
pollution,  or  deformity,  or  unamiable  defect 
of  any  kind,  seen  in  any  person  or  thing  ;  but 
every  one  shall  be  perfectly  pure,  and  per, 
fectly  lovely  in  heaven.  That  blessed  world 
shall  be  perfectly  bright,  without  any  dark- 
ness ;  perfectly  fair,  without  any  spot ;  per 
fectly  clear,  without  any  cloud.  'No  moral 
or  natural  defect  shall  ever  enter  there ;  and 
there  nothing  be  seen  that  is  sinful,  or  weak, 
or  foolish ;  nothing,  the  nature  or  aspect  of 
wdiich  is  coarse  or  displeasing,  or  that  can 
oifend  the  most  refined  taste,  or  the  most  deli- 
cate eye.  No  string  shall  there  vibrate  out  of 
tune,  to  cause  any  jar  in  the  harmony  of  the  mu- 
sic of  heaven  ;  and  no  note  be  such  as  to  make 
discord  in  the  anthems  of  saints  and  angels. 

The  great  God  who  so  fully  manifests  him- 
self there,  is  perfect  with  an  absolute  and 
iniinite  perfection.  The  Son  of  God,  who  is 
the  brightness  of  the  Father's  glory,  appears 


CHARITY,    OR    LOVE.  473 


tliere  in  the  fulness  of  his  glory,  without  that 
garb  of  outward  meanness  in  which  he  appeared 
in  this  world.  The  Holy  G-host  shall  there  be 
poured  forth  with  perfect  richness  and  sweet- 
ness, as  a  pure  river  of  the  water  of  life,  clear 
as  crystal,  proceeding  out  of  the  throne  of  God 
and  the  Lamb.  And  every  member  of  that 
holy  and  blessed  society,  shall  be  without  any 
stain  of  sin,  or  imperfection,  or  weakness,  or 
imprudence,  or  blemish  of  any  kind.  The 
whole  church,  ransomed  and  purified,  shall 
there  be  presented  to  Christ,  as  a  bride,  clothed 
in  fine  linen,  clean  and  white,  without  spot  or 
wrinkle,  or  any  such  thing.  Wherever  the 
inhabitants  of  that  blessed  world  shall  turn 
their  eyes,  they  shall  see  nothing  but  dignity, 
and  beauty,  and  glory.  The  most  stately  cities 
on  earth,  however  magnificent  their  buildings, 
yet  have  their  foundations  in  the  dust,  and 
their  streets  dirty  and  defiled,  and  made  to  be 
trodden  under  foot;  but  the  very  streets  of 
this  heavenly  city  are  of  pure  gold,  like  unto 
transparent  glass,  and  its  foundations  are  of 
precious  stones,  and  its  gates  are  pearls.  And 
all  these  are  but  faint  eniblems  of  the  purity 
and  perfectness  of  those  that  dwell  therein. 
A.nd  in  heaven. 


4:74:  HEAYEN,    A    WORLD   OF 


3.  8haU  he  all  those  objects  that  the  saints 
have  set  their  hearts  upon^  and  which  they 
have  loved  above  all  things  while  in  this 
world. — There  they  will  find  those  things  that 
appeared  most  lovely  to  them  while  they 
dwelt  on  earth;  the  things  that  met  the  ap- 
probation of  their  judgments,  and  captivated 
their  affections,  and  drew  away  their  souls 
from  the  most  dear  and  pleasant  of  earthly 
objects.  There  they  will  find  those  things 
that  were  their  delight  here  below,  and  on 
which  they  rejoiced  to  meditate,  and  witli  the 
sweet  contemplation  of  which  their  minds 
were  often  entertained ;  and  there,  too,  the 
things  which  they  chose  for  their  portion,  and 
which  were  so  dear  to  them  that  they  were 
ready  for  the  sake  of  them  to  undergo  the 
severest  sufferings,  and  to  forsake  even  father, 
and  mother,  and  kindred,  and  friends,  and 
wife,  and  children,  and  life  itself.  All  the 
truly  great  and  good,  all  the  pure  and  holy 
and  excellent  from  this  world,  and  it  may  be 
from  every  part  of  the  universe,  are  constantly 
tending  toward  heaven.  As  the  streams  tend 
to  the  ocean,  so  all  these  are  tending  to  the 
great  ocean  of  infinite  purity  and  bliss.  The 
progress  of  time  does  but  bear  them  on  to  ita 


CHARITY,    OK   LOVE.  475 


blessedness ;  and  us,  if  we  are  holy,  to  be 
united  to  them  there.  Every  gem  which  death 
rudely  tears  away  from  us  here,  is  a  glorious 
jewel  forever  shining  there  ;  every  Christian 
friend  that  goes  before  us  from  this  world,  is 
a  ransomed  spirit  waiting  to  welcome  us  in 
heaven.  There  will  be  the  infant  of  days  that 
we  have  lost  below,  through  grace  to  be  found 
above  ;  there  the  Christian  father,  and  mother, 
and  wife,  and  child,  and  friend,  with  whom 
we  shall  renew  the  holy  fellowship  of  the 
saints,  which  was  interrupted  by  death  here, 
but  shall  be  commenced  again  in  the  upper 
sanctuary,  and  then  shall  never  end.  There 
we  shall  have  company  with  the  patriarchs 
and  fathers  and  saints  of  the  Old  and  'New 
Testaments,  and  those  of  whom  the  world  was 
not  worthy,  with  whom  on  earth  we  were  only 
conversant  by  faith.  And  there,  above  all, 
we  shall  enjoy  and  dwell  with  God  the  Father, 
whom  we  have  loved  with  all  our  hearts  on 
earth,  and  with  Jesus  Christ  our  beloved 
Saviour,  who  has  always  been  to  us  the  chief 
among  ten  thousands  and  altogether  lovely, 
and  with  the  Holy  Ghost  our  Sanctifier,  and 
guide,  and  comforter  ;  and  shall  be  filled  with 
all  the  fulness  of  the  Godhead  forever! 


476  HEAVEN,    A    WOULD    OF 


And   such   being   the    objects   of   love   m 
heaven,  I  pass, 

III.  To  its  suhjeots.  And  these  are  the 
hearts  in  which  it  dwells.  In  every  heart  in 
heaven^  love  dwells  and  reigns.  The  heart  of 
God  is  the  original  seat  or  subject  of  love. 
Divine  love  is  in  him,  not  as  in  a  subject  that 
receives  it  from  another,  but  as  in  its  original 
seat,  where  it  is  of  itself.  Love  is  in  God,  as 
light  is  in  the  sun,  which  does  not  shine  by  a 
reflected  light  as  the  moon  and  planets  do, 
but  by  its  own  light,  and  as  the  great  fountain 
of  light.  And  from  God,  love  flows  out  toward 
all  the  inhabitants  of  heaven.  It  flows  out,  in 
the  first  place,  necessarily  and  infinitely,  to- 
ward his  only  begotten  Son,  being  poured  forth, 
without  mixture,  as  to  an  object  that  is  infinite, 
and  so  fully  adequate  to  all  the  fulness  of  a 
love  that  is  infinite.  And  this  infinite  love  is' 
infinitely  exercised  toward  him.  IS^ot  only 
does  the  fountain  send  forth  streams  to  this 
object,  but  the  very  fountain  itself  wholly  and 
altogether  goes  out  toward  him.  And  the  Son 
of  God  is  not  only  the  infinite  object  of  love, 
but  he  is  also  an  infinite  subject  of  it.  lie  is 
not  only  the  beloved  of  the  Fatlier,  but  he 
infinitely  loves   hiiu.     The   infinite  essential 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  477 


love  of  God,  is,  as  it  were,  an  infinite  and 
eternal  mutual  holj  energy  between  the  Father 
and  the  Son :  a  pure  and  holy  act,  whereby 
the  Deity  becomes,  as  it  were,  one  infinite 
and  unchangeable  emotion  of  love  proceeding 
from  both  the  Father  and  the  Son.  This 
divine  love  has  its  seat  in  the  Deity,  as  it  is 
exercised  within  the  Deity,  or  in  God  toward 
himself. 

But  this  love  is  not  confined  to  such  exer- 
cises as  these.  It  flows  out  in  innumerable 
streams  toward  all  the  created  inhabitants  of 
heaven,  to  all  the  saints  and  angels  there. 
The  love  of  God  the  Father  flows  out  toward 
Christ  the  head,  and  to  all  the  members, 
through  him  in  whom  they  were  beloved  before 
the  foundation  of  the  world,  and  in  whom  the 
Father's  love  was  expressed  toward  them  in 
time  by  his  death  and  sufferings,  as  it  now  is 
fully  manifested  in  heaven.  And  the  saints 
and  angels  are  secondarily  the  subjects  of 
holy  love,  not  as  those  in  whom  it  is  as  in  an 
original  seat,  as  light  is  in  the  sun,  but  as  it  is 
in  the  planets  that  shine  only  by  reflected 
lificht.  And  the  li^ht  of  their  love  is  reflected 
in  the  fi  rst  place,  and  chiefly,  back  to  its  great 
source.     As  God  has   given  the   saints  and 


478  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


angels,  love,  so  their  love  is  chiefly  exercised 
towards  God,  its  fountain,  as  is  most  reasona- 
ble. They  all  love  God  with  a  supreme  love. 
There  is  no  enemy  of  God  in  heaven  ;  but  all^ 
as  his  children,  love  him  as  their  father.  They 
are  all  united,  with  one  mind,  to  breathe  forth 
their  whole  souls  in  love  to  God  their  eternal 
Father,  and  to  Jesus  Christ  their  common 
Eedeemer,  and  head,  and  friend. 

Christ  loves  all  his  saints  in.  heaven.  His 
love  flows  out  to  his  whole  chiiirch  there,  and 
to  every  individual  member  of  it.  And  they 
all,  with  one  heart  and  one  soul,  unite  in  love 
to  their  common  Redeemer.  Every  heart  is 
wedded  to  this  holy  and  spiritual  husband, 
and  all  rejoice  in  him,  while  the  angels  join 
them  in  their  love.  And  the  angels  and  saints 
all  love  each  other.  All  the  members  of  the 
glorious  society  of  heaven  are  sincerely  united. 
There  is  not  a  single  secret  or  open  enemy 
amoncr  them  all.  l^ot  a  heart  is  there  that  is 
not  full  of  love,  and  not  a  solitary  inhabitant 
that  is  not  beloved  by  all  the  others.  And  as 
all  are  lovely,  so  all  see  each  other's  loveli- 
ness with  full  compl acence  and  delight.  Every 
Boul  goes  out  in  love  to  every  other ;  and 
among   all   the   blessed   inhabitants,  love  is 


CHAEITY,    OR   LOYE.  479 


mutual,  and  full,  and  eternal.     I  pass  next,  to 
speak,  as  proposed, 

lY.  Of  the  jprincijple  of  love  in  heaven. 
And  by  this  I  mean  the  love  itself  that  fills 
and  blesses  the  heavenly  world,  and  which 
may  be  noticed  both  as  to  its  nature  and 
degree.     And, 

1.  As  to  its  nature. — In  its  nature,  this  love 
is  altogether  holy  and  divine.  Most  of  the 
love  that  there  is  in  this  world,  is  of  an  un- 
hallowed nature.  But  the  love  that  has  place 
in  heaven,  is  not  carnal  but  spiritual.  It  does 
not  proceed  from  corrupt  principles  or  selfish 
motives,  nor  is  it  directed  to  mean  and  vile 
purposes  and  ends.  As  opposed  to  all  this,  it 
is  a  pure  flame,  directed  by  holy  motiv^es,  and 
aiming  at  no  ends  inconsistent  with  God's 
glory  and  the  happiness  of  the  universe.  The 
saints  in  heaven  love  God  for  his  own  sake, 
and  each  other  for  God's  sake,  and  for  the 
sake  of  the  relation  that  they  have  to  him,  and 
the  image  of  God  that  is  upon  them.  All 
their  love  is  pure  and  holy.  We  may  notice 
tliis  love,  also, 

2.  As  to  its  degree. — And  in  degree  it  is 
perfect.  The  love  that  dwells  in  the  heart  of 
God  is  perfect,  with  an  absolutely  infinite  and 


480 


divine  perfection.  The  love  of  angels  and 
saints  to  God  and  Christ,  is  perfect  in  its  kind, 
or  with  such  a  perfection  as  is  proper  to  their 
nature.  It  is  perfect  with  a  sinless  perfection, 
and  perfect  in  that  it  is  commensurate  to  the 
capacities  of  their  nature.  So  it  is  said  in  the 
text,  that  when  that  which  is  perfect  is  come, 
that  which  is  in  part  shall  be  done  away. 
Their  love  shall  be  without  any  remains  of 
any  contrary  principle,  having  no  pride  or 
selfishness  to  interrupt  it  or  hinder  its  exer- 
cises. Their  hearts  shall  be  full  of  love. 
That  which  was  in  the  heart  on  earth  as  but  a 
grain  of  mustard  seed,  shall  be  as  a  great  tree 
in  heaven.  The  soul  that  in  this  world  had 
only  a  little  sjDark  of  divine  love  in  it,  in 
heaven  shall  be  as  it  were  turned  into  a  bright 
and  ardent  flame,  like  the  sun  in  its  fullest 
brightness  when  it  has  no  spot  upon  it. 

In  heaven  there  shall  be  no  remaining  en- 
mity, or  distaste,  or  coldness,  or  deadness  of 
heart  towards  God  and  Christ.  'Not  t'he  least 
remainder  of  any  principle  of  envy  shall  exist 
to  be  exercised  toward  angels  or  other  beings 
jvho  are  superior  in  glory ;  nor  shall  there  be 
aught  like  contempt  or  slighting  of  those  who 
are  inferiors.     Those  that  have  a  lower  station 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  481 


in  glorj  than  others,  suffer  no  diminution  of 
their  own  happiness  by  se'fiing  others  abos^o 
them  in  glory.  On  the  contrary,  all  the  mem- 
bers of  that  blessed  society  rejoice  in  each 
other's  happiness,  for  the  love  of  benevolence 
is  perfect  in  them  all.  Every  one  has  not 
only  a  sincere,  but  a  perfect  good-will  to  every 
other.  Sincere  and  strong  love  is  greatly 
gratified  and  delighted  in  the  prosperity  of 
the  beloved  object;  and  if  the  love  be  perfect, 
the  greater  the  prosperity  of  the  beloved  is, 
the  more  is  the  lover  pleased  and  delighted ; 
for  the  prosperity  of  the  beloved,  is,  as  it  were, 
the  food  of  love,  and  therefore  the  greater  that 
prosperity,  the  more  richly  is  love  feasted. 
The  love  of  benevolence  is  delighted  in  behold- 
ing the  prosperity  of  another,  as  the  love  of 
complacence  is,  in  beholding  the  beauty  or 
perfection  of  another.  So  that  the  superior 
prosperity  of  those  that  are  higher  in  glory,  is 
so  far  from  being  a  hindrance  to  the  degree 
of  love  felt  toward  them,  that  it  is  an  addition 
to  it,  or  a  part  of  it. 

There  is  undoubtedly  an  inconceivably  pure, 
sweet,  and  fervent  love  between  the  saints  in 
glory  ;  and  that  love  is  in  proportion  to  the 
perfection    and    amiableness   of    the   objects 


482  HEAVEN,    A   WOKLD   OF 


beloved,  and  therefore  it  must  nccetsarily 
cause  delight  in  them  when  they  see  that  the 
happiness  and  glory  of  others  are  in  proportion 
to  their  amiableness,  and  so  in  proportion  to 
their  love  to  them.  Those  that  are  highest  in 
glory,  are  those  that  are  highest  in  holiness, 
and  therefore  are  those  that  are  most  beloved 
by  all  the  saints ;  for  they  most  love  those  that 
are  most  holy,  and  so  they  will  all  rejoice  in 
their  being  the  most  haj)py.  And  it  will  not 
be  a  grief  to  any  of  the  saints  to  see  those  that 
are  higher  than  themselv^es  in  holiness  and 
likeness  to  God,  more  loved  also  than  them- 
selves, for  all  shall  have  as  much  love  as  they 
desire,  and  as  great  manifestations  of  love  as 
they  can  bear ;  and  so  all  shall  be  fully  satis- 
fied ;  and  when  there  is  j)erfect  satisfaction, 
there  can  be  no  reason  for  envy.  And  there 
will  be  no  temptation  for  any  to  envy  those 
that  are  above  them  in  glory  on  account  of 
the  latter  being  lifted  up  with  pride,  for  there 
will  be  no  pride  in  heaven.  We  are.  not  to 
conceive  that  those  who  are  more  holy  and 
Ijappy  than  others  in  heaven,  will  be  elated 
and  lifted  up  in  their  spirit  above  others,  for 
those  who  are  above  others  in  holiness,  will  be 
superior  to  them  in  humility.     The  saints  that 


CHAEITY,    OE   LOVE.  483 


are  higliest  in  glorj,  will  be  the  lowest  in 
humbleness  of  mind,  for  their  superior  humility 
is  part  of  their  superior  holiness.  Though  all 
are  perfectly  free  from  pride,  yet  as  some  will 
have  greater  degrees  of  divine  knowledge  than 
others,  and  larger  capacities  to  see  more  of 
the  divine  perfections,  so  they  will  see  more 
of  their  own  comparative  littleness  and  nothing- 
ness, and  therefore  will  be  lowest  and  most 
abased  in  humility. 

And  besides,  the  inferior  in  glory  will  have 
no  temptation  to  envy  those  that  are  higher 
than  themselves,  for  those  that  are  highest 
will  not  only  be  more  loved  by  the  lower  for 
their  higher  holiness,  but  they  will  also  have 
more  of  the  spirit  of  love  to  others,  and  so  will 
love  those  that  are  below  them  more  than  if 
their  own  capacity  and  elevation  were  less. 
They  that  are  highest  in  degree  in  glory,  will 
be  of  the  highest  capacity  ;  and  so  having  the 
greatest  knowledge,  will  see  most  of  God's 
loveliness,  and  consequently  will  have  love  to 
God  and  love  to  the  saints  most  abounding  in 
their  hearts.  And  on  this  account  those  that 
are  lower  in  glory  will  not  envy  those  that  are 
above  them,  because  they  will  be  most  beloved 
by  those  that  are  highest  in  glory.     And  the 


484:  HEAVEN,    A    WOELD    OF 


superior  in  glory  will  be  so  far  from  slighting 
those  that  are  inferior,  that  they  will  have 
most  abundant  love  to  them — ^greater  degrees 
of  love  in  j^roportion  to  their  superior  knowl- 
edge and  happiness.  The  higher  any  are  in 
glory,  the  more  they  are  like  Christ  in  this 
respect,  so  that  the  love  of  the  higher  to  the 
lower  will  be  greater  than  the  love  of  the 
equals  of  the  latter  to  them.  And  what  puts 
it  beyond  all  doubt  that  seeing  the  superior 
happiness  of  others  will  not  be  a  damp  to  the 
happiness  of  the  inferior,  is  this,  that  their 
superior  happiness  consists  in  their  greater 
humility,  and  in  their  greater  love  to  them, 
and  to  God,  and  to  Christ,  than  the  inferior, 
will  have  in  themselves.  Such  will  be  the 
sweet  and  perfect  harmony  among  the  heavenly 
saints,  and  such  the  perfect  love  reigning  in 
every  heart  toward  every  other,  without  limit, 
or  alloy,  or  interruption  ;  and  no  envy,  or 
malice,  or  revenge,  or  contempt,  or  selfishness 
shall  ever  enter  there,  but  all  such  feelings 
shall  be  kept  as  far  away,  as  sin  is  from  holi- 
ness, and  as  hell  is  from  heaven  !  Let  us  next 
consider, 

Y.  The  excellent  circumstances  in  which 


CHA.KITY,    OE    LOVE.  485 


love  shall  he  exercised  and  expressed^  and  en- 
joyed in  heaven.     And 

1.  Loue  in  heaven  is  always  niictual. — It  is 
always  met  with  answerable  returns  of  love ; 
with  returns  that  are  proportioned  to  its  exer- 
cise. Such  returns,  love  always  seeks  ;  and 
just  in  proportion  as  any  person  is  beloved,  in 
the  same  proportion  is  his  love  desired  and 
prized.  And  in  heaven  this  desire  of  love,  or 
this  fondness  for  being  loved,  will  never  fail 
of  being  satisfied.  Xo  inhabitants  of  that 
blessed  world  will  ever  be  grieved  with  the 
thought  that  they  are  slighted  by  those,  that 
they  love,  or  that  their  love  is  not  fully  and 
fondly  returned. 

As  the  saints  will  love  God  w^ith  an  incon- 
ceivable ardency  of  heart,  and  to  the  utmost 
of  their  capacity,  so  they  w^ill  know  that  he 
has  loved  them  from  all  eternity,  and  still 
loves  them,  and  W'ill  continue  to  love  them 
forever.  And  God  w^ill  then  gloriously  mani- 
fest himself  to  them,  and  they  shall  know  that 
all  that  happiness  and  glory  which  they  are 
possessed  of,  are  the  fruits  of  his  love.  And 
with  the  same  ardor  and  fervency  will  the 
saints  love  the  Lord  Jesus  Christ ;  and  their 
love  will  be  accepted;  and  they  shall  know 
2>2 


486 


that  he  has  loved  them  with  a  faithful,  yea, 
even  with  a  dying  love.  They  shall  then  be 
more  sensible  than  now  they  are,  what  groat 
love  it  manifested  in  Christ  that  he  should  lay 
down  his  life  for  them  ;  and  then  will  Christ 
open  to  their  view  the  great  fountain  of  love 
in  his  heart  for  them,  beyond  all  that  they 
ever  saw  before.  Hereby  the  love  of  the 
saints  to  God  and  Christ,  is  seen  to  be  re- 
ciprocated, and  that  declaration  fulfilled,  "  I 
love  them  that  love  me  ;"  and  though  the  love 
of  God  to  them  cannot  properly  be  called  the 
return  of  love,  because  he  loved  them  first,  yet 
the  sight  of  his  love,  will,  on  that  very  account, 
the  more  fill  them  with  joy,  and  admiration, 
and  love  to  him. 

The  love  of  the  saints,  one  to  another,  will 
always  be  mutual  and  reci|)rocated,  though 
we  cannot  suppose  that  every  one  will,  in  all 
respects,  be  equally  beloved.  Some  of  the 
saints  are  more  beloved  of  God  than  others, 
even  on  earth.  The  angel  told  Daniel  that  he 
was  "  a  man  greatly  beloved"  (Dan.  ix.  23) ; 
and  Luke  is  called  "the  beloved  physician" 
(Col.  iv.  14:) ;  and  John,  "  the  disciple  whom 
Jesus  loved"  (John  xix.  26).  And  so,  doubt- 
less, those  that  have  been  most  cmineut  in 


487 


fidelity  and  holiness,  and  that  are  liigLest  in 
glorj,  are  must  beloved  by  Christ  in  heaven : 
and  doubtless  those  saints  that  are  most  be- 
loved of  Christ,  and  that  are  nearest  to  him  in 
glory,  are  most  beloved  by  all  the  other  saints. 
Thus  we  may  conclude  that  such  saints  as  the 
Apostle  Paul,  and  the  Ajjostle  John,  are  more 
beloved  by  the  saints  in  heaven  than  other 
saints  of  lower  rank.  They  are  more  beloved 
by  lower  saints  than  those  of  equal  rank  with 
themselves.  But  then  there  are  answerable 
returns  of  love  in  these  cases  ;  for  as  such  are 
more  beloved  by  all  other  saints,  so  they  are 
fuller  of  love  to  other  saints.  The  heart  of 
Christ,  the  great  head  of  all  the  saints,  is  more 
full  of  love  than  the  heart  of  any  saint  can  be. 
He  loves  all  the  saints,  far  more  than  any  of 
them  love  each  other.  But  the  more  any 
saint  is  loved  of  him,  the  more  is  that  saint 
like  him,  in  this  respect,  that  the  fuller  his 
heart  is  of  love. 

2.  The  joy  of  heavenly  love  shall  never  he 
interrupted  or  damped  hy  jealousy. — Heavenly 
lovei's  will  have  no  doubt  of  the  love  of  each 
other.  They  shall  have  no  fear  that  the  declara- 
tions and  professions  of  love  are  hypocritical ; 
but  shall  be  perfectly  satislied  of  the  sincerity 


488  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


and  strength  of  each  other's  affection,  as  muchi 
as  if  there  were  a  window  in  every  breast,  so 
that  everything  in  the  heart  could  be  seen. 
There  shall  be  no  such  thing  as  flattery  or  dis- 
simulation in  heaven,  but  there  perfect  sin- 
cerity shall  reign  through  all,  and  in  all. 
Every  one  will  be  just  what  he  seems  to  be, 
and  will  really  have  all  the  love  that  he  seems 
to  have.  It  will  not  be  as  in  this  world,  where 
comparatively  few  things  are  what  they  seem 
to  be,  and  where  professions  are  often  made 
lightly,  and  without  meaning  ;  but  there  every 
expression  of  love  shall  come  from  the  bottom 
of  the  heart,  and  all  that  is  professed  shall  be 
really  and  truly  felt. 

The  saints  shall  know  that  God  loves  them, 
and  they  shall  never  doubt  the  greatness  of 
his  love,  and  they  shall  have  no  doubt  of  the 
love  of  all  their  fellow-inhabitants  in  heaven. 
And  they  shall  not  be  jealous  of  the  constancy 
of  each  other's  love.  They  shall  have  no  sus- 
picion that  the  love  which  others  have  felt 
toward  them  is  abated,  or  in  any  degree  with- 
drawn from  themselves  for  the  sake  of  some 
rival,  or  by  reason  of  anything  in  themselves 
which  they  suspect  is  disagreeable  to  others, 
or  through  any  inconstancy  in  their  own  hearts 


CHAKITY,    OK   LOVE.  489 

or  the  hearts  of  others.  'Nor  will  they  be  in 
the  least  afraid  that  the  love  of  any  will  ever 
be  abated  toward  them.  There  shall  be  no 
such  thing  as  inconstancy  and  unfaithfulness 
in  heaven,  to  molest  and  disturb  the  friendship 
of  that  blessed  society.  The  saints  shall  have 
no  fear  that  the  love  of  God  will  ever  abate 
towards  them,  or  that  Christ  will  not  continue 
always  to  love  them  with  unabated  tenderness 
and  affection.  And  they  shall  have  no  jealousy- 
one  of  another,  but  shall  know  that  by  divine 
grace  the  mutual  love  that  exists  between 
them,  shall  never  decay  or  change. 

3.  There  shall  he  nothing  within  themselves^ 
to  clog  or  hinder  the  saints  in  heaven^  in  the 
exercises  and  expressions  of  love. — In  this 
world  the  saints  find  much  to  hinder  them  in 
this  respect.  They  have  a  great  deal  of  dul- 
ness  and  heaviness.  They  carry  about  w^ith 
them  a  heavy-moulded  body — a  clod  of  earth — 
a  mass  of  flesh  and  blood  that  is  not  fitted  to 
be  the  organ  for  a  soul  inflamed  with  higli 
exercises  of  divine  love  ;  but  which  is  found  a 
great  clog  and  hindrance  to  the  spirit,  so  that 
they  cannot  express  their  love  to  God  as  they 
would,  and  cannot  be  so  active  and  lively  in 
it  as  they  desire.     Often  they  fain  would  fly, 


4:00  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


but  they  are  held  down  as  with  a  dead  weight 
upon  their  wings.  Fain  would  they  be  active, 
and  mount  up  as  a  flame  of  fire,  but  they  find 
themselves,  as  it  were,  hampered  and  chained 
down,  so  that  they  cannot  do  as  their  love  in- 
clines them  to  do.  Love  disposes  them  to 
burst  forth  in  praise,  but  their  tongues  are  not 
obedient ;  they  want  words  to  express  the 
ardency  of  their  souls,  and  cannot  order  their 
speech  by  reason  of  darkness.  Job  xxxvii.  19  ; 
and  often  for  want  of  expressions,  they  are 
forced  to  content  themselves  with  groan ings 
that  cannot  be  uttered,  Rom.  viii.  26. 

But  in  heaven  they  shall  have  no  such 
hindrance.  There  they  will  have  no  dulness 
and  unwieldiness,  and  no  corruption  of  heart 
to  war  against  divine  love,  and  hinder  its  ex- 
pressions ;  and  there  no  earthly  body  shall 
clog  with  its  heaviness  the  heavenly  flame. 
The  saints  in  heaven  shall  have  no  difficulty 
in  expressing  all  their  love.  Their  souls  being 
on  fire  with  holy  love,  shall  not  be  like  a  fire 
pent  up,  but  like  a  flame  uncovered  and  at 
liberty.  Their  spirits  being  winged  with  love, 
shall  have  no  weight  upon  them  to  hinder 
their  flight.  There  shall  be  no  want  of  strength 
or  activity,  nor  any  want  of  words  whej'ewith 


CHARITY,    OK   LOVE.  491 


to  ])raise  the  object  of  their  aiFection.  Nothing 
shall  hinder  them  from  communing  with  God, 
and  praising  and  serving  him  just  as  their 
love  inclines  them  to  do.  Love  naturally 
desires  to  express  itself,  and  in  heaven  the 
love  of  the  saints  shall  be  at  full  liberty  to  ex- 
press itself  as  it  desires,  whether  it  be  towards 
God,  or  to  created  beings. 

4.  In  heaven  love  will  he  expressed  with 
perfect  decency  and  wisdom. — Many  in  this 
world  that  are  sincere  in  their  hearts,  and 
have  indeed  a  principle  of  true  love  to  God 
and  their  neighbor,  yet  have  not  discretion  to 
guide  them  in  the  manner  and  circumstances 
of  expressing  it.  Their  intentions,  and  so  their 
speeches,  are  good,  but  often  not  suitably 
timed,  or  discreetly  ordered  as  to  circum- 
stances, but  are  attended  with  an  indiscreet- 
ness  that  greatly  obscures  the  loveliness  of 
grace  in  the  eyes  of  others.  But  in  heaven, 
the  amiableness  and  excellence  of  their  love 
shall  not  be  obscured  by  any  such  means. 
There  shall  be  no  indecent,  or  unwise,  (a' 
dissonant  speeches  or  actions — no  foolish  and 
sentimental  fondness — no  needless  officious- 
ness — no  low  or  sinful  propensities  of  passion — 
and  no  such  thing  ar>  affections  clouding  or 


192  HEAVEN,    A   WOELD   OF 


deluding  reason,  or  going  before  or  against  it. 
But  wisdom  and  discretion  shall  be  as  perfect 
in  the  saints  as  love  is,  and  every  expression 
of  their  love  shall  be  attended  with  the  most 
amiable  and  perfect  decency,  and  discretion, 
and  w^isdom. 

5.  There  shall  he  nothing  external  in  heaven^ 
to  heej}  its  inhahitants  at  a  distance  from  each 
other ^  or  to  hinder  their  most  perfect  enjoy- 
ment of  each  other'' s  love. — ^There  shall  be  no 
wall  of  separation  in  heaven  to  keep  the  saints 
asunder,  nor  shall  they  be  hindered  from  the 
full  and  complete  enjoyment  of  each  other's 
love  by  distance  of  habitation ;  for  they  shall 
all  be  together,  as  one  family,  in  their  heavenly 
Father's  house.  Nor  shall  there  be  any  w^ant 
of  full  acquaintance  to  hinder  the  greatest 
possible  intimacy ;  and  much  less  shall  there 
be  any  misunderstanding  between  them,  or 
misinterpreting  things  that  are  said  or  done 
by  each  other.  There  shall  be  no  disunion 
through  difference  of  tempef,  or  manners,  or 
circumstances,  or  from  various  opinions,  or 
interests,  or  feelings,  or  alliances,  but  all  shall 
be  united  in  the  same  interests,  and  all  alike 
allied  to  the  same  Saviour,  and  all  employed 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  493 


in  the  same  business,  serving  and  glorifying 
the  same  God. 

6.  In  heaven  all  shall  he  united  together  in 
"uery  near  and  dear  relations. — Love  always 
seeks  a  near  relation  to  the  one  who  is  beloved ; 
and  in  heaven  they  shall  all  be  nearly  allied 
and  related  to  each  other.  All  shall  be  nearly 
related  to  God  the  supreme  object  of  their 
love,  for  they  shall  all  be  his  children.  And 
all  shall  be  nearly  related  to  Christ,  for  he 
shall  be  the  head  of  the  whole  society,  and 
the  husband  of  the  whole  church  of  saints,  all 
of  whom  together  shall  constitute  his  spouse. 
And  they  shall  all  be  related  to  each  other  as 
brethren,  for  all  w^ill  be  but  one  society,  or 
rather  but  one  family,  and  all  members  of  the 
household  of  God.     And  more  than  this, 

Y.  In  heaven  all  shall  have  property  and 
ownership  in  each  other. — Love  seeks  to  have 
the  beloved  its  own  ;  and  divine  love  rejoices 
in  saying,  "My  beloved  is  mine,  and  I  am 
his."  And  in  heaven  all  shall  not  only  be  re- 
lated one  to  another,  but  they  shall  be  each 
other's,  and  belong  to  each  other.  The  saints 
shall  be  God's.  He  brings  them  home  to  him- 
self in  glory,  as  that  part  of  the  creation  that 
he  has  chosen  for  his  peculiar  treasure.     And 


494:  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


on  the  other  hand,  God  shall  be  theirs,  made 
over  to  them  in  an  everlasting  covenant  in 
this  world,  and  now  they  shall  be  forever  in 
full  possession  of  him  as  their  portion.  And 
so  the  saints  shall  be  Christ's,  for  he  has 
bought  them  with  a  price;  and  he  shall  be 
theirs,  for  he  that  gave  himself  for  them,  will 
have  given  himself  to  them  ;  and  in  the  bonds 
of  mutual  and  everlasting  love,  Christ  and  the 
saints  will  have  given  themselves  to  each  other. 
And  as  God  and  Christ  shall  be  the  saints',  so 
the  angels  shall  be  their  angels,  as  is  intimated 
in  Matt,  xviii.  10 ;  and  the  saints  shall  be  one 
another's,  for  the  Apostle  speaks  (2.  Cor.  viii. 
5)  of  the  saints  in  his  days,  as  first  giving 
themselves  to  the  Lord,  and  then  to  one  another 
by  the  will  of  God ;  and  if  this  is  done  on 
earth,  it  will  be  more  perfectly  done  in  heaven. 
8.  In  heaven  they  shall  er^oy  each  other* s 
love  in  perfect  and  uninterrupted  prosperity. — - 
What  often  on  earth  alloys  the  pleasure  and 
sweetness  of  worldly  friendship,  is,  that  though 
persons  live  in  love,  yet  they  live  in  poverty, 
or  meet  with  great  difficulties  and  sore  afflic- 
tions, whereby  they  are  grieved  for  themselves 
and  for  one  another.  For  though  in  such 
cases,  love  and  friendship  in  some  respects 


CHAKITT,    OR   LOVE.  495 


lighten  the  burden  to  be  borne,  yet  in  other 
respects  they  rather  add  to  its  weight,  be- 
cause those  that  love  each  other  become,  by 
their  very  love,  sharers  in  each  other's  afflic- 
tions, so  that  each  has  not  only  his  own  trials 
to  bear,  but  those  also  of  his  afflicted  friends. 
But  there  shall  be  no  adversity  in  heaven,  to 
give  occasion  for  a  pitiful  grief  of  spirit,  or  to 
molest  or  disturb  those  who  are  heavenly 
friends,  in  the  enjoyment  of  each  other's 
friendship.  But  they  shall  enjoy  one  another's 
love  in  the  greatest  prosperity,  and  in  glorious 
riches  and  comfort,  and  in  the  highest  honor 
and  dignity,  reigning  together  in  the  heav- 
enly kingdom — 'inheriting  all  things,  sitting  on 
thrones,  all  wearing  crowns  of  life,  and  being 
made  kings  and  priests  unto  God  forever. 

Christ  and  his  disciples  while  on  earth  were 
often  together  in  affliction  and  trial,  and  they 
kept  up  and  manifested  the  strongest  love  and 
friendship  to  each  other  under  great  and  sore 
Bufferings.  And  now  in  heaven  they  enjoy 
each  other's  love  in  immortal  glory,  all  sorrow 
and  sighing  having  forever  fled  away.  Both 
Christ  and  his  saints  were  acquainted  with 
much  sorrow  and  grief  in  tliis  world,  tho^^h 
Christ  had  the  greatest  share,  being  peculiarly 


4:96  HEAVEN,    A    AVOKLD    OF 


a  "man  of  sorrows."  But  in  heaven  tlxj 
shall  sit  together  in  heavenly  places,  whera 
sorrow  and  grief  shall  never  more  be  kno\7n. 
And  so  all  the  saints  will  enjoy  each  other's 
love  in  heaven,  in  a  glory  and  prosperity  in 
comparison  with  which  the  wealth  and  thrones 
of  the  greatest  earthly  princes,  are  but  as  sordid 
poverty  and  destitution.  So  that  as  they  love 
one  another,  they  have  not  only  their  own  but 
each  other's  prosperity  to  rejoice  in,  and  are 
by  love  made  partakers  of  each  others'  bless- 
edness and  glory.  Such  is  the  love  of  every 
saint  to  every  other  saint,  that  it  makes  the 
glory  which  he  sees  other  saints  enjoy,  as  it 
were,  his  own.  He  so  rejoices  that  they  enjoy 
such  glory,  that  it  is  in  some  respects  to  him  as 
if  he  himself  enjoyed  it  in  his  own  personal 
experience. 

9.  In  heaven  all  things  shall  conspire  to 
promote  their  love^  and  give  advantage  for 
mutual  enjoyment. — There  shall  be  none  there 
to  tempt  any  to  dislike  or  hatred  ;  ho  busy- 
bodies,  or  malicious  adversaries,  to  make  mis- 
representations, or  create  misunderstandings, 
or  spread  abroad  any  evil  reports,  but  every  be- 
ing and  every  thing  shall  conspire  to  promote 
love,  and  the  full  enjoyment  of  love.    IleaveD 


OE  LOVE.  497 


itself,  the  place  of  habitation,  is  a  garden  of 
pleasures,  a  heavenly  paradise,  fitted  in  all 
respects  for  an  abode  of  heavenly  love  ;  a 
place  where  they  may  have  sweet  society  and 
perfect  enjoyment  of  each  other's  love,  l^one 
are  unsocial  or  distant  from  each  other.  The 
petty  distinctions  of  this  world  do  not  draw 
lines  in  the  society  of  heaven,  but  all  meet  in 
the  equality  of  holiness  and  of  holy  love. 

All  things  in  heaven  do,  also,  remarkably 
show  forth  the  beauty  and  loveliness  of  God 
and  Christ,  and  have  the  brightness  and  sweet- 
ness of  divine  love  uj^on  them.  The  very  light 
that  shines  in  and  fills  that  world,  is  the  light 
of  love,  for  it  is  the  shining  of  the  glory  of  the 
Lamb  of  God,  that  most  wonderful  influence 
of  lamb-like  meekness  and  love  that  fills  the 
heavenly  Jerusalem  with  light.  "  The  city 
had  no  need  of  the  sun,  neither  of  the  moon 
to  shine  in  it ;  for  the  glory  of  God  did  lighten 
it,  and  the  Lamb  is  the  light  thereof,"  Rev. 
xxi.  23.  The  glovy  that  is  about  him  that 
reigns  in  heaven,  is  so  radiant  and  sweet  that 
it  is  compared  (Rev.  iv.  3)  to  "a  rainbow 
round  about  the  throne,  in  sight  like  unto  an 
emerald ;"  and  it  is  the  rainbow  that  is  so 
often  used  in  the  Old  Testament,  as  the  fit 


498  HEAYEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


token  of  God's  love  and  grace  manifested  in 
his  covenant.  The  light  of  the  New  Jeru- 
salem, which  is  the  light  of  God's  glory,  is 
said  to  be  like  a  jasper  stone,  clear  as  crystal 
(Rev.  xxi.  11),  thus  signifying  the  greatest 
preciousness  and  beauty  ;  and  as  to  its  con- 
tinuance, it  is  said  there  is  no  night  there,  but 
only  an  endless  and  glorious  day.  This  sug- 
gests, once  more,  that, 

10.  The  inhabitants  of  heaven  shall  Tcnovj 
that  they  shall  forever  he  continued  in  the  per- 
fect enjoyment  of  each  other'^s  love. — ^They 
shall  know  that  God  and  Christ  shall  be  for- 
ever with  them  as  their  God  and  portion,  and 
that  his  love  shall  be  continued  and  fully 
manifested  forever,  and  that  all  their  beloved 
fellow-saints  shall  forever  live  with  them  in 
glory,  and  shall  forever  keep  up  the  same  love 
in  their  hearts  which  they  now  have.  And 
they  shall  know  that  they  themselves  shall  ever 
live  to  love  God,  and  love  the  saints,  and  to 
enjoy  their  love  in  all  its  fulness  aitd  sweet- 
ness forever.  They  shall  be  in  no  fear  of  any 
end  to  this  happiness,  or  of  any  abatement 
from  its  fulness  and  blessedness,  or  that  they 
shall  ever  be  weary  of  its  exercises  and  ex- 
pressions, or  cloyed  with  its  enjoymentSj  or 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  499 


that  the  "beloved  objects  shall  ever  grow  old, 
or  disagreeable,  so  that  their  love  shall  at  last 
die  away.  All  in  heaven  shall  flourish  in  im- 
mortal youth  and  freshness.  Age  will  not 
there  diminish  any  one's  beauty  or  vigor ;  and 
there  love  shall  abide  in  every  one's  heart,  as 
a  living  spring  perp-etually  springing  up  in 
the  soul,  or  as  a  flame  that  never  dies  away. 
And  the  holy  pleasure  of  this  love  shall  be  as 
a  river  that  is  forever  flowing,  clear  and  full, 
and  increasing  continually.  The  heavenly 
paradise  of  love  shall  always  be  kept  as  in  a 
perpetual  spring,  without  autumn  or  winter, 
where  no  frosts  shall  blight,  or  leaves  decay 
and  fall,  but  where  every  plant  shall  be  in 
perpetual  freshness  and  bloom,  and  fragrance, 
and  beauty,  always  springing  forth,  and  al- 
ways blossoming,  and  always  bearing  fruit. 
The  leaf  of  the  righteous  shall  not  wither, 
Ps.  i.  3.  And  in  the  midst  of  the  streets  of 
heaven,  and  on  either  side  of  the  river,  grows 
the  tree  of  life,  which  bears  twelve  manner 
of  fruits,  and  yields  her  fruit  every  month, 
Rev.  xxii.  2.  Everything  in  the  heavenly 
world  shall  contribute  to  the  joy  of  the  saints, 
and  CTery  joy  of  heaven  shall  be  eternal.    No 


500  HEAVEN,    A    WORLD    OF 


night  shall  settle  down  with  its  darkness  upon 
the  brightness  of  their  everlasting  day. 

Having  thus  noticed  many  of  the  blessed 
circumstances  with  which  love  in  heaven  is 
exercised,  and  expressed,  and  enjoyed,  I  pro- 
ceed as  proposed  to  speak,  lastly, 

YL  Of  the  hlessed  effects  and  fruits  of  this 
love^  as  exercised  and  enjoyed  in  these  circum- 
stances.— And  of  the  many  blessed  fruits  of  it, 
I  would  at  this  time  mention  but  two. 

1.  The  most  excellent  and  perfect  hehavior 
of  all  the  inhcdntants  of  heaven  toward  God 
and  each  other. — Charity  or  divine  love  is  the 
sum  of  all  good  principles,  and  therefore  the 
fountain  whence  i^roceed  all  amiable  and  ex- 
cellent actions.  And  as  in  heaven  this  love 
will  be  perfect,  to  the  perfect  exclusion  of  all 
sin  consisting  in  enmity  against  God  and  fel- 
low-creatures, so  the  fruit  of  it  will  be  a  most 
perfecj  behavior  toward  all.  Hence  life  in 
heaver  will  be  without  the  least  sinful  failure 
or  eri'or.  JSTone  shall  ever  come  short, -or  turn 
aside  from  the  way  of  holiness  in  the  least  de- 
gree, but  every  feeling  and  action  shall  be 
perfect  in  itself  and  in  all  its  circumstances. 
Ever^  part  of  their  behavior  shall  be  holy  and 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  501 


divine  in  matter,  and  form,  and  spirit,  and 
end. 

"We  know  not  particularly  bow  the  saints  in 
Leaven  shall  be  employed  ;  but  in  general  we 
know  that  they  are  employed  in  pi-aising  and 
serving  God  ;  and  this  they  will  do  perfectly, 
being  influenced  by  such  a  love  as  we  have 
been  considering.  And  we  have  reason  to 
think  that  they  are  so  employed  as  in  some 
way  to  be  subservient  under  God,  to  each 
other's  happiness,  for  they  are  represented  in 
the  Scriptures  as  united  together  in  one  society 
which,  it  would  seem,  can  be  for  no  other  pur- 
pose but  mutual  subserviency  and  happiness. 
And  they  are  thus  mutually  subservient  by  a 
most  excellent  and  perfectly  amiable  beha- 
vior one  towards  another,  as  a  fruit  of  their 
perfect  love  one  to  another.  And  even  if  they 
are  not  confined  to  this  society,  but  if  any  or 
all  of  them  are  at  times  sent  on  errands  of 
duty  or  mercy  to  distant  worlds,  or  employed, 
as  some  suppose  them  to  be,  as  ministering 
spirits  to  friends  in  this  world,  they  are  still 
led  by  the  influence  of  love  to  conduct,  in  all 
their  behavior,  in  such  a  manner  as  is  well 
pleasing  to  God,  and  thus  conducive  to  their 
own  and  others'  happiness.  The  other  fruit 
33 


502  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


of  love  as  exercised  in  such  circumstances, 
is, 

2.  Perfect  tranqitilUty  and  joy  in  Jieaven. — • 
Charity,  or  holy  and  humble  Christian  love,  is 
a  principle  of  wonderful  power  to  give  ineifa- 
ble  quietness  and  tranquillity  to  the  soul.  It 
banishes  all  disturbance,  and  sweetly  com- 
poses and  brings  rest  to  the  spirit,  and  makes 
all  divinely  calm  and  sweet  and  happy.  In 
that  soul  where  divine  love  reigns  and  is  in 
lively  exercise,  nothing  can  cause  a  storm,  or 
even  gather  threatening  clouds. 

There  are  many  principles  contrary  to  love, 
that  make  this  world  like  a  tempestuous  sea. 
Selfishness,  and  envy,  and  revenge,  and  jeal- 
ousy, and  kindred  passions  keep  life  on  earth 
in  a  constant  tumult,  and  make  it  a  scene  of 
confusion  and  uproar,  where  no  quiet  rest  is 
to  be  enjoyed  except  in  renouncing  this  world 
and  looking  to  another.  But  O !  what  rest  is 
there  in  that  world  which  the  God  of  peace 
and  love  fills  with  his  own  gracious  presence, 
and  in  which  the  Lamb  of  God  lives  and 
reigns,  filling  it  with  the  brightest  and  sweet- 
est beams  of  his  love  ;  where  there  is  nothing 
to  disturb  or  offend,  and  no  being  or  object  to 
be  seen  that  is  not  surrounded  with  perfect 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  503 


amiableness  and  sweetnens  ;  where  tlie  saints 
shall  find  and  enjoy  all  tiiat  they  love,  and  so 
be  perfectly  satisfied  \  where  there  is  no  ene- 
my and  no  enmit/  i>nt  perfect  Ic^ve  :n  qyqyj 
heart  and  to  every  hhln^  ;  wh.ere  there  is  per- 
fect harmony  among  ai.  the  inhabitants,  no 
one  envying  another,  but  every  one  rejoicing 
in  the  happiness  of  every  other;  where  all 
their  love  is  humble,  and  holy,  and  perfectly 
Christian,  without  the  least  carnality  or  im- 
purity ;  where  love  is  always  mutual  and 
reciprocated  to  the  full  ;  where  there  is  no 
hypocrisy  or  dissembling,  but  perfect  simplici- 
ty and  sincerity ;  where  there  is  no  treachery, 
or  unfaithfulness,  or  inconstancy,  or  jealousy 
in  any  form;  where  there  is  no  clog  or  hin- 
drance to  the  exercises  or  expressions  of  love, 
no  imprudence  or  indecency  in  expressing  it, 
and  no  influence  of  folly  or  indiscretion  in 
any  word  or  deed ;  where  there  is  no  separa- 
tion wall,  and  no  misunderstanding  or  strange- 
ness, but  full  acquaintance  and  perfect  inti- 
macy in  all ;  where  there  is  no  division  through 
difi^erent  opinions  or  interests,  but  where  all  in 
that  glorious  and  loving  society  shall  be  most 
nearly  and  divinely  related,  and  each  sliall 
belong  to  every  other,  and  all  shall  enjoy  each 


504:  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 

other  in  perfect  prosperity  and  riches,  and 
honor,  without  any  sickness,  or  grief,  or  per- 
secution, or  sorrow,  or  any  enemy  to  molest 
them,  or  any  busybody  to  create  jealousy  or 
misunderstanding,  or  mar  the  perfect,  and 
holy,  and  blessed  peace  tliat  reigns  in  heaven  ! 
And  all  this  in  the  garden  of  God — in  the 
paradise  of  love,  where  everything  is  filled 
with  love,  and  everything  conspires  to  pro- 
mote and  kindle  it,  and  keep  up  its  flame,  and 
nothing  ever  interrupts  it,  but  everything  has 
been  fitted  by  an  all-wise  God  for  its  full  en- 
joyment under  the  greatest  advantages  for- 
ever !  And  all,  too,  where  the  beauty  of  the 
beloved  objects  shall  never  fade,  and  love 
shall  never  grow  weary  or  decay,  but  the  soul 
shall  more  and  more  rejoice  in  love  forever ! 

O!  what  tranquillity  will  there  be  in  such  a 
world  as  this !  And  who  can  express  the  fulness 
and  blessedness  of  this  peace !  What  a  calm 
is  this  !  How  sweet,  and  holy,  and  joyous ! 
"Wliat  a  haven  of  rest  to  enter,  after  having 
passed  through  the  storms  and  tempests  of  this 
world,  in  which  pride,  and  selfishness,  and 
env}^,  and  malice,  and  scorn,  and  contempt, 
and  contention,  and  vice  are  as  waves  of  a 
restless  ocean,  always  rolling,  and  often  dashed 


CHARITY,    OR    LOVE.  505 


about  in  violence  and  fury  !  What  a  Canaan 
of  rest  to  come  to,  after  going  through  this 
waste  and  howling  wilderness  full  of  snares, 
and  pitfalls,  and  poisonous  serpents,  where  no 
rest  could  be  found  ! 

And  O !  what  joy  will  there  be,  springing 
up  in  the  hearts  of  the  saints,  after  they  have 
passed  through  their  wearisome  pilgrimage, 
to  be  brought  to  such  a  paradise  as  this  ! 
Here  is  joy  unspeakable  indeed,  and  full  of 
glory — ^joy  that  is  humble,  holy,  enrapturing, 
and  divine  in  its  perfection  !  Love  is  always 
a  sweet  principle  ;  and  especially  divine  love. 
This,  even  on  earth,  is  a  spring  of  sweetness  ; 
but  in  heaven,  it  shall  become  a  stream,  a 
river,  an  ocean  !  All  shall  stand  about  the 
God  of  glory,  who  is  the  great  fountain  of 
love,  opening,  as  it  were,  their  very  souls  to 
be  filled  with  those  effusions  of  love  that  are 
poured  forth  from  his  fulness,  just  as  the 
flowers  on  the  earth,  in  the  bright  and  joyous 
days  of  spring,  open  their  bosoms  to  the  sun 
to  be  filled  with  his  light  and  warmth,  and  to 
flourish  in  beauty  and  fragrancy  under  his 
cheering  rays. 

Every  saint  in  heaven  is  as  a  flower  in  that 
garden  of  God,  and  holy  love  is  the  fragrance 


506  HEAVEN,    A    WORLD   OF 


and  sweet  odor  that  thej  all  send  forth,  and 
with  which  thej  fill  the  bowers  of  that  para- 
dise above.  Every  soul,  there,  is  as  a  note  in 
some  concert  of  delightful  music,  that  sweetly 
harmonizes  with  every  other  note,  and  all  to- 
gether blend  in  the  most  rapturous  strains  in 
praising  God  and  the  Lamb  forever.  And  so 
all  help  each  other,  to  their  utmost,  to  ex- 
press the  love  of  the  whole  society  to  its  glo- 
rious father  and  head,  and  to  pour  back  love 
into  the  great  fountain  of  love  whence  they 
are  supplied  and  filled  with  love,  and  blessed- 
ness, and  glory.  And  thus  they  will  love,  and 
reign  in  love,  and  in  that  godlike  joy  that  is 
its  blessed  fruit,  such  as  eye  hath  not  seen,  nor 
ear  heard,  nor  hath  ever  entered  into  the 
heart  of  man  in  this  world  to  conceive ;  and 
thus  in  the  full  sunlight  of  the  throne,  enrap- 
tured with  joys  that  are  forever  increasing 
and  yet  forever  full,  they  shall  live  and  reign 
with  God  and  Christ  forever  and  ever  ! 

In  the  application  of  this  subject,  I  remark, 
1.  If  heaven  he  such  a  world  as  has  heen 
described^  then  we  mo^y  see  a  reason  why  con- 
tention and  strife  tend  to  darken  our  evi- 
dence of  fitness f 01'  its  jyossession. — Experience 
teaches  that  this  is  the  effect  of  contentioiu 


CHAEITT,    OR   LOVE  507 


"Whtm  principles  of  malignity  and  ill-will  pre- 
vail among  God's  people,  as  they  sometimes 
do  through  the  remaining  corruption  of  their 
hearts,  and  they  get  into  a  contentious  spirit 
or  are  engaged  in  any  strife  whether  public 
or  private,  and  their  spirits  are  filled  with 
opposition  to  their  neighbors  in  any  matter 
whatever,  their  former  evidences  for  heaven 
seem  to  become  dim,  or  die  away,  and  they 
are  in  darkness  about  their  spiritual  state,  and 
do  not  find  that  comfortable  and  satisfying 
hope  that  they  used  to  enjoy. 

And  so  when  converted  persons  get  into  ill 
frames  in  their  families,  the  consequence  com- 
monly if  not  universally,  is,  that  they  live 
without  much  of  a  comfortable  sense  of  heav- 
enly things,  or  any  lively  hope  of  heaven. 
They  do  not  enjoy  much  of  that  spiritual  calm 
and  sweetness  that  those  do  who  live  in  love 
and  peace.  They  have  not  that  help  from 
God,  and  that  communion  with  him,  and  that 
near  intercourse  with  heaven  in  prayer,  that 
others  have.  The  Apostle  seems  to  speak  of 
contention  in  families  as  having  this  influence. 
His  language  is  (1  Pet.  iii.  7),  "  Likewise  ye 
husbands  dwell  with  them"  (your  wives),  "ac- 
cording to  knowledge,  giving  honor  unto  the 


508  HEAVEN,    A    WORLD   OF 


wife  as  mito  the  weaker  vessel,  and  as  being 
heirs  together  of  the  grace  of  life,  that  your 
prayers  be  not  hindered."  Here  he  intimates 
that  discord  in  families  tends  to  hinder  Chris- 
tians in  their  prayers.  And  what  Christian, 
that  has  made  the  sad  experiment,  has  not 
done  it  to  his  sorrow,  and  in  his  own  experi- 
ence does  not  bear  witness  to  the  truth  of  the 
Apostle's  intimation. 

Why  it  is  so,  that  contention  has  this  effect 
of  hindering  spiritual  exercises  and  comforts 
and  hopes,  and  of  destroying  the  sweet  hope 
of  that  which  is  heavenly,  we  may  learn  from 
the  doctrine  we  have  considered.  For  heaven 
being  a  world  of  love,  it  follows  that  when  we 
have  the  least  exercise  of  love,  and  the  most 
of  a  contrary  spirit,  then  we  have  the  least  of 
heaven,  and  are  farthest  from  it  in  the  frame 
of  our  mind.  Then  we  have  the  least  of  the 
exercise  of  that  wherein  consists  a  conformity 
to  heaven,  and  a  preparation  for  it,  and  what 
fends  to  it ;  and  so,  necessarily,  we  mast  have 
least  evidence  of  our  title  to  heaven,  and  be 
farthest  from  the  comfort  which  such  evidence 
affords.  We  may  see,  again,  from  this  sub- 
ject, 

2.  How  happy  those  are  who  a/re  entitled  to 


CHAEITY,    OR   LOVE.  509 


heaiyen. — ^Tliere  are  some  persons  living  on 
earth,  to  whom  the  happiness  of  the  lieavenly 
world  belongs  as  much,  yea  much  more  than 
any  man's  earthly  estate  belongs  to  himself 
They  have  a  part  and  interest  in  this  world 
of  love,  and  have  a  proper  right  and  title  to 
it,  for  they  are  of  the  number  of  those  of  whom 
it  is  written  (Rev.  xxii.  14),  "  Blessed  are  they 
that  do  his  commandments,  that  they  may 
have  right  to  the  tree  of  life,  and  may  enter 
in  through  the  gates  into  the  city."  And 
doubtless  there  are  such  j^ersons  here,  amongst 
us.  And  O !  how  happy  are  all  such,  entitled 
as  they  are  to  an  interest  in  such  a  world  as 
heaven !  Surely  they  are  the  blessed  of  the 
earth,  and  the  fulness  of  their  blessedness,  no 
language  can  describe,  no  words  express. 
But  here  some  may  be  ready  to  say,  "  With- 
out doubt  they  are  happy  persons  that  have  a 
■title  to  such  a  blessed  world,  and  are  soon  to 
enter  on  the  eternal  possession  of  its  joys. 
But  who  are  these  persons  ?  How  shall  tliey 
be  known,  and  by  what  marks  may  they  be 
distinguished  ?"  In  answer  to  such  an  in- 
quiry, I  would  mention  three  things  that  be- 
long to  their  character: — 

First^   They  are  those  that  have  had  ths 


510  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


principle  or  seed  of  the  same  love  that  reigns 
in  heaven^  implanted  in  their  hearts^  in  this 
worlds  in  the  worh  of  regeneration. — ^Thej  are 
not  those  who  have  no  other  principles  in 
their  hearts  than  natural  principles,  or  such 
as  the  J  have  by  their  first  birth,  for  "  that 
which  is  born  of  the  flesh  is  flesh."  But  they 
are  those  who  have  been  the  subjects  of  the 
new  birth,  or  who  have  been  born  of  the 
Spirit.  A  glorious  work  of  the  Spirit  of  God 
has  been  wrought  in  their  hearts,  renewing 
them  by  bringing  down  from  heaven,  as  it 
were,  some  of  the  light  and  some  of  the  holy, 
pure  flame  that  is  in  that  world  of  love,  and 
giving  it  place  in  them.  Their  hearts  are  a 
soil  in  which  this  heavenly  seed  has  been 
sown,  and  in  which  it  abides  and  grows.  And 
so  they  are  changed ;  and  from  being  earthly, 
have  become  heavenly  in  their  dispositions. 
The  love  of  the  world  is  mortified  and  the 
love  of  God  implanted.  Their  hearts  are 
drawn  to  God  and  Christ,  and  for  their  sakes 
flow  out  to  the  saints  in  humble  and  spiritual 
love.  "  Being  born,  not  of  corruptible  seed, 
but  of  incorruptible,"  1  Pet.  i.  23,  "  Which 
were  born  not  of  blood,  nor  of  the  will  of  the 


CHAlilTY,    OR   LOVE.  511 


iiesh,  nor  of  the  will  of  man,  but  of  God," 
John  i.  13. 

Second^  They  are  tJiose  who  have  freely 
chosen  the  happiness  that  flows  from  the  exer- 
cise and  enjoyment  of  such  love  as  is  in  heav- 
en^ above  all  other  conceivahle  happiness. — 
They  see  and  understand  so  much  of  this 
as  to  know  that  it  is  the  best  good.  They 
do  not  merely  yield  that  it  is  so  from  ration- 
al arguments  that  may  be  offered  for  it, 
and  by  which  they  are  convinced  that  it  is  so, 
but  they  know  it  is  so  from  what  little  they 
have  tasted  of  it.  It  is  the  happiness  of  love, 
and  the  beginning  of  a  life  of  such  love,  holy, 
humble,  divine  and  heav^enly  love.  Love  to 
God,  and  love  to  Christ,  and  love  to  saints  for 
God  and  Christ's  sake,  and  the  enjoyment  of 
the  fruits  of  God's  love  in  holy  communion 
with  God,  and  Christ,  and  with  holy  persons, 
this  is  what  they  have  a  relish  for ;  and  such 
is  their  renewed  nature  that  such  happiness 
suits  their  disposition  and  appetite  and  wishes 
above  all  other  things  ;  and  not  only  above  all 
thiags  that  they  have,  but  above  all  that  they 
can  conceive  it  possible  that  they  could  have. 
The  world  does  not  afford  anything  like  it. 
They  have  chosen  this  before  all  things  else, 


512  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


and  chosen  it  freely.  Their  souls  go  out  after 
it  more  than  after  ev^erjthing  else,-  and  iheir 
hearts  are  more  eager  in  pursuit  of  it.  They 
have  chosen  it  not  merely  because  they  liave 
met  with  sorrow,  and  are  in  such  low  and 
afflicted  circumstances  that  they  do  not  expect 
much  from  the  world,  but  because  their  hearts 
were  so  captivated  by  this  good  that  they 
chose  it  for  its  own  sake  before  all  worldly 
good,  even  if  they  could  have  ever  so  much 
of  the  latter,  and  enjoy  it  ever  so  long. 

Thirds  They  are  those  who  from  the  lov6 
that  is  in  them^  are  in  heart  and  Ufe^  inprin 
ciple  and  practice^  struggling  after  holiness. — 
Holy  love  makes  them  long  for  holiness.  It 
is  a  principle  that  thirsts  after  growth.  It 
is  in  imperfection,  and  in  a  state  of  infancy 
in  this  world,  and  it  desires  growth.  It  has 
much  to  struggle  with.  In  the  heart  in  this 
world  there  are  many  opposite  principles  and 
influences  ;  and  it  struggles  after  greater  one- 
ness, and  more  liberty,  and  more  free  exer- 
cise, and  better  fruit.  The  great  strife  and 
struggle  of  the  new  man,  is  after  holiness.  His 
heart  struggles  after  it,  for  he  has  an  interest 
in  heaven,  and  therefore  he  struggles  with  tliat 
sin   that   would   keep   him  from   it.     He  is 


CHAKITY,    OK    LOVE.  513 


full  of  ardent  desires,  and  breathings,  and 
longings,  and  strivings  to  be  holy.  And  his 
hands  struggle  as  well  as  his  heart.  He 
strives  in  his  pi-actice.  His  life  is  a  life  of  sin- 
cere and  earnest  endeavor  to  be  universally 
and  increasingly  holy.  He  feels  that  he  is  not 
holy  enough,  but  far  from  it;  and  he  desires 
to  be  nearer  perfection,  and  more  like  those 
who  are  in  heaven.  And  this  is  one  reason 
why  he  longs  to  be  in  heaven,  that  he  may  be 
perfectly  holy.  And  the  great  principle  which 
leads  him  thus  to  struggle,  is  love.  It  is  not 
only  fear ;  but  it  is  love  to  God,  and  love  to 
Christ,  and  los^e  to  holiness.  Love  is  a  holy 
fire  within  him,  and  like  any  other  flame 
which  is  in  a  degree  pent  up,  it  will  and  does 
struggle  for  liberty  ;  and  this  its  struggling, 
is  the  struggle  for  holiness. 

3.  What  has  been  said  on  this  suhjeot  may 
well  awaken  and  alarm  the  impenitent. — And, 

First^  By  putting  them  in  mind  of  thei'i 
misery^  in  that  they  have  no  portion  or  right 
in  this  world  of  love. — You  have  heard  what 
has  been  said  of  heaven,  what  kind  of  glory 
and  blessedness  is  there,  and  how  happy  the 
saints  and  angels  are  in  that  world  of  perfect 
love.     But  consider  that  none  of  this  belojigs 


514:  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD    OF 


to  joii.  When  you  hear  of  such  things,  you 
hear  of  that  in  which  you  have  no  interest. 
No  such  person  as  you,  a  wicked  hater  of  God 
and  Christ,  and  one  that  is  under  the  power 
of  a  spirit  of  enmity  against  all  that  is  good, 
shall  ever  enter  there.  Such  as  you  are,  never 
belong  to  the  faithful  Israel  of  God,  and  shall 
never  enter  their  heavenly  rest.  It  may  be 
said  to  you,  as  Peter  said  to  Simon  (Acts  viii. 
21),  "Thou  hast  neither  part  nor  lot  in  this 
matter,  for  thy  heart  is  not  right  in  the  sight 
of  God;"  and  as  Nehemiah  said  to  Sanballat 
and  liis  associates  (I^eh.  ii.  20),  "  You  have  no 
portion,  nor  right,  nor  memorial  in  Jerusa- 
lem." If  such  a  soul  as  yours  should  be  ad- 
mitted into  heaven,  that  world  of  love,  how 
nauseous  would  it  be  to  those  blest  spirits 
whose  souls  are  as  a  flame  of  love ;  and  how 
would  it  discompose  that  loving  and  blessed 
society,  and  put  everything  in  confusion  !  It 
would  make  heaven  no  longer  heaven,  if  such 
souls  should  be  admitted  there.  It  would 
change  it  from  a  world  of  love  to  a  world  of 
hatred,  and  pride,  and  envy,  and  malice,  and 
revenge,  as  this  world  is  !  But  this  shall  never 
be ;  and  the  only  alternative  is,  that  such  as 
you  shall  be  shut  out  with  "  dogs,  and  sorcer- 


CHARITY,    OK    LOVE.  515 


era,  and  whoremongers,  and  murderers,  and 
idolaters,  and  whosoever  loveth  and  maketli  a 
lie,"  Rev.  xxii.  15 ;  that  is,  with  all  that  is  vile, 
and  unclean,  and  unholy.  And  this  subject 
may  well  awaken  and  alarm  the  impenitent. 

Secondly^  By  showing  them  that  they  are  in 
danger  of  hell^  which  is  a  world  of  hatred. — • 
There  are  three  worlds.  One  is  this,  which  is 
an  intermediate  world — a  world  in  which  good 
and  evil  are  so  mixed  together  as  to  be  a  sure 
sign  that  this  world  is  not  to  continue  forever. 
Another  is  heaven,  a  world  of  love,  without 
any  hatred.  And  the  other  is  hell,  a  world 
of  hatred,  where  there  is  no  love,  which  is  the 
world  to  which  all  of  you  who  are  in  a  Christ- 
less  state  properly  belong.  This  last  is  the 
world  where  God  manifests  his  displeasure 
and  wrath,  as  in  heaven  he  manifests  his 
love.  Everything  in  hell  is  hateful.  There 
is  not  one  solitary  object  there,  that  is  not 
odious  and  detestable,  horrid  and  hateful. 
There  is  no  person  or  thing  to  be  seen  there, 
that  is  amiable  or  lovely ;  nothing  that  is  pure, 
or  holy,  or  pleasant,  but  everything  abomina- 
ble and  odious.  There  are  no  beings  there 
but  devils,  and  damned  spirits  that  are  like 
devils.     Hell  is,  as  it  were,  a  vast  don  of  poi- 


516  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


sonoQS,  liissing  serpents  ;  the  old  serpent,  who 
is  the  devil  and  Satan,  and  with  him  all  his 
hateful  brood. 

In  that  dark  world  there  are  none  but  those 
whom  God  hates  with  a  perfect  and  everlast- 
ino^  hatred.  He  exercises  no  love,  and  ex- 
tends  no  mercy  to  any  one  object  there,  but 
pours  out  upon  them  horrors  without  mixture. 
All  thino^s  in  the  wide  universe  that  are  hate- 
ful  shall  be  gathered  together  in  hell,  as  in  a 
vast  receptacle  provided  on  purpose  that  tlie 
universe  which  God  has  made  may  be  cleansed 
of  its  ill  thiness  by  casting  it  all  into  this  great 
sink  of  wickedness  and  woe.  It  is  a  world  pre- 
pared on  purpose  for  the  expression  of  God's 
wrath.  He  has  made  hell  for  this ;  and  he 
has  no  other  use  for  it  but  there  to  testify 
forever  his  hatred  of  sin  and  sinners,  where 
there  is  no  token  of  love  or  mercy.  There  is 
nothing  there  but  what  shows  forth  the  divine 
indignation  and  wrath.  Every  object  shows 
forth  wrath.  It  is  a  world  all  overflowed  with 
a  deluge  of  wrath,  as  it  were,  with  a  deluge 
of  liquid  fire,  so  as  to  be  called  a  lake  of  fire 
and  brimstone,  and  the  second  death. 

There  are  none  in  hell  but  what  have  been 
haters  of  God,  and  so  have  procured  his  wrath 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  517 


and  hatred  on  themselves  ;  and  there  they 
shall  continue  to  hate  him  forever.  'No  love 
to  God  will  ever  be  felt  in  hell ;  but  every  one 
there  perfectly  hates  him,  and  so  will  con- 
tinue to  hate  him ;  and  without  any  restraint 
will  express  their  hatred  to  him,  blaspheming 
and  raging  against  him,  while  they  gnaw 
their  tongues  for  pain.  And  though  they  all 
join  together  in  their  enmity  and  opposition 
to  Grod,  yet  there  is  no  union  or  friendliness 
among  themselves  :  they  agree  in  nothing  but 
hatred,  and  the  expression  of  hatred.  They 
hate  God,  and  Christ,  and  angels,  and  saints 
in  heaven,  and  not  only  so,  but  they  hate  one 
another,  like  a  company  of  serpents  or  vipers, 
not  only  S23itting  out  venom  against  God,  but 
at  one  another,  biting  and  stinging  and  tor- 
menting each  other. 

The  devils  in  hell  will  hate  damned  souls. 
They  hated  them  while  in  this  world,  and 
therefore  it  was,  that  with  such  subtilty  and 
indefatigable  temptations  they  sought  their 
ruin.  They  thirsted  for  the  blood  of  their 
souls,  because  they  hated  them  ;  they  longed 
to  get  them  in  their  power  to  torment  them  ; 
they  watched  them  as  a  roaring  lion  does  hU 

prey ;  because  they  hated  them,  therefore  they 
34 


518  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


flew  upon  their  souls,  like  hell-hounds,  as  soon 
as  ever  they  were  parted  from  their  bodies, 
full  of  eagerness  to  torment  them.  And  now 
thej  have  them  in  their  power,  they  will  spend 
eternity  in  tormenting  them  with  the  utmost 
strength  and  cruelty  that  devils  are  capable 
of.  They  are,  as  it  were,  continually  and 
eternally  tearing  these  poor  damned  souls 
that  are  in  their  hands.  And  these  latter  will 
not  only  be  hated  and  tormented  by  devils, 
but  they  will  have  no  love  or  pity  one  to- 
wards another,  but  will  be  like  devils  one  to 
another,  and  will  to  their  utmost  torment  each 
other,  being  like  brands  in  the  fire,  each 
of  which  helps  to  burn  the  others. 

In  hell  all  those  principles  will  reign  and 
rage  that  are  contrary  to  love,  without  any 
restraining  grace  to  keep  them  within  bounds. 
Here  will  be  unrestrained  pride,  and  malice, , 
and  envy,  and  revenge,  and  contention  in  all  i 
its  fury  and  without  end,  never  knowing  peace,  j 
The  miserable  inhabitants  will  bite  and  devour 
one  another,  as  well  as  be  enemies  to  God  and 
Christ  and  holy  beings.     Those  who  in  their 
wickedness    on   earth   were    companions    to- 
gether, and  had  a  sort  of  carnal  friendship 
one  for  another,  will  here  have  no  appearance 


CHAKITY,    OK   LOVE.  619 


1. 

i 


of  fellowship  ;  but  perfect  and  continual  and 
undisguised  hatred  will  exist  between  them. 
As  on  earth  they  promoted  each  other's  sin 
so  now  in  hell  they  will  promote  each  other 
punishment.  On  earth  they  were  the  instru- 
ments of  undoing  each  other's  souls:  there 
they  were  occupied  in  blowing  up  the  fires  of 
each  other's  lusts,  and  now  they  will  blow  for- 
ever the  fires  of  each  other's  torments.  They 
ruined  one  another  in  sinning,  setting  bad  ex- 
amples to  each  other,  poisoning  each  other  by 
wicked  talk,  and  now  they  will  be  as  much 
engaged  in  tormenting,  as  once  they  were  in 
tempting  and  corrupting  each  other. 

And  there  their  hatred,  and  envy,  and  all 
evil  passions  will  be  a  torment  to  themselves. 
God  and  Christ  whom  they  will  hate  most,  and 
toward  whom  their  souls  will  be  as  full  of  ha- 
tred as  an  oven  is  ever  full  of  fire,  will  be  in- 
finitely above  their  reach,  dwelling  in  infinite 
blessedness  and  glory  which  they  cannot 
diminish.  And  they  will  but  torment  them- 
selves by  their  fruitless  envy  ot  the  saints  and 
angels  in  heaven,  whom  they  cannot  come 
nigh  to  or  injure.  And  they  shall  have  no 
pity  from  them  or  from  any  one,  for  hell  is 
looked  on  only  with  hatred,  and  with  no  pity 


520  HE  A  YEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


or  compassion.     And  tlius  they  will  be  left  to 
spend  tlieir  eternity  together. 

'Now  consider,  all  je  that  are  out  of  Christ, 
and  that  were  never  born  again,  and  that 
never  had  any  blessed  renovation  of  your 
hearts  by  the  Holy  Spirit  implanting  divine 
love  in  them,  and  leading  you  to  choose  the 
happiness  that  consists  in  holy  love  as  your 
best  and  sweetest  good,  and  to  spend  your  life 
in  struggling  after  holiness, — consider  your 
danger,  and  what  is  before  you.  For  this  is 
the  world  to  which  ye  are  condemned  ;  and  so 
the  world  to  which  you  belong  through  the 
sentence  of  the  law ;  and  the  world  that  every 
day  and  hour  you  are  in  danger  of  having 
your  abode  everlastingly  fixed  in ;  and  the 
world  to  which,  if  you  repent  not,  you  will 
soon  go,  instead  of  going  to  that  blessed  world 
of  love  of  which  you  have  now  heard.  Con- 
sider, O  !  consider,  that  it  is  indeed  thus  with 
you.  These  things  are  not  cunningly-devised 
fables,  but  the  great  and  dreadful  realities  of 
God's  word, and  things  that,  in  a  little  while,  you 
will  know  with  everlasting  certainty  are  true. 
How  then  can  you  rest  in  such  a  state  as  you 
are  in,  and  go  about  so  carelessly  from  day  to 
day,  and  so  heedless  and  negligent  of  yc>ur 


CHARITY,    OK   LOVE.  521 

precious,  immortal  souls  ?  Consider  seriously 
these  things,  and  be  wise  for  yourself,  befoie 
it  is  too  late  ;  before  your  feet  stumble  on  the 
dark  mountains,  and  you  fall  into  the  world 
of  wrath  and  hatred,  where  there  is  weeping, 
and  wailing,  and  gnashing  of  teeth,  with  spite- 
ful malice  and  rage  against  God,  and  Christ, 
and  one  another,  and  with  horror  and  anguish 
of  spirit  forever.  Flee  to  the  stronghold 
while  ye  are  prisoners  of  hope,  before  the 
door  of  hope  is  closed,  and  the  agonies  of  the 
second  death  shall  begin  their  work,  and  your 
eternal  doom  is  sealed  ! 

4.  Let  the  consideration  of  what  has  heen 
said  of  heaven^  stir  up  all  earnestly  to  seeh 
after  it. — If  heaven  be  such  a  blessed  world, 
then  let  it  be  our  chosen  country,  and  the  in- 
heritance that  we  look  for  and  seek.  Let  us 
turn  our  course  this  way,  and  press  on  to  its 
possession.  It  is  not  impossible  but  that  this 
glorious  world  may  be  obtained  by  us.  It  is 
offered  to  us.  Though  it  be  so  excellent  and 
blessed  a  country,  yet  God  stands  ready  to 
give  us  an  inhej.itance  there,  if  it  be  but  the 
country  that  we  desire,  and  will  choose,  and 
diligently  seek.  God  gives  us  our  choice. 
We  may  have  our  inheritance  wherever  wo 


522  HEAVEN,    A   WOKLD   OF 


clioose  it,  and  may  obtain  heaven  if  we  will 
but  seek  it  by  patient  continuance  in  well- 
doing. We  are  all  of  us,  as  it  were,  set  here 
in  this  world  as  in  a  vast  wilderness,  with  di- 
verse countries  about  it,  and  w^th  several  ways 
or  paths  leading  to  these  different  countries, 
and  we  are  left  to  our  choice  what  course  we 
will  take.  If  we  heartily  choose  heaven,  and 
set  our  hearts  entirely  on  that  blessed  Canaan 
— that  land  of  love,  and  if  we  choose  and  love 
the  path  that  leads  to  it,  we  may  w^alk  in  that 
path,  and  if  we  continue  to  walk  in  it,  it  will 
lead  us  to  heaven  at  least. 

Let  what  we  have  heard  of  the  land  of  love, 
stir  us  all  up  to  turn  our  faces  toward  it,  and 
bend  our  course  thitherward.  Is  not  what  we 
have  heard  of  the  happy  state  of  that  country, 
and  the  many  delights  that  are  in  it,  enough 
to  make  us  thirst  after  it,  and  to  cause  us  with 
the  greatest  earnestness  and  steadfastness  of 
resolution,  to  press  towards  it,  and  spend  our 
whole  lives  in  travelling  in  the  way  that  lead8 
thither  ?  What  joyful  news  might  it  well  be 
to  us  when  we  hear  of  such  a  world  of  perfect 
peace  and  holy  love,  and  to  hear  that  it  is  pos- 
sible, yea,  that  there  is  full  opportunity  for  us 
to  come  to  it,  and  spend  an  eternity  in  its 


CHAKITY,    OR   LOVE.  523 


joys!  Is  not  what  we  liave  heard  of  that 
blessed  world,  enough  to  make  us  weary  of 
this  world  of  pride,  and  malice,  and  conten- 
tion, and  perpetual  jarring  and  jangling,  a 
world  of  confusion,  a  wilderness  of  hissing 
Berpents,  a  tempestuous  ocean  where  there  is 
no  quiet  rest,  where  all  are  for  themselves, 
and  selfishness  reigns  and  governs,  and  all  are 
striving  to  exalt  themselves  regardless  of  what 
becomes  of  others,  and  all  are  eager  after 
worldly  good  which  is  the  great  object  of  de- 
sire and  contention,  and  where  men  are  con- 
tinually annoying,  and  calumniating,  and  re- 
proaching, and  otherwise  injuring  and  abus- 
ing one  another — a  world  full  of  injustice,  and 
oppression,  and  cruelty, — a  world  where  there 
is  so  much  treachery,  and  falsehood,  and  fic- 
kleness, and  hypocrisy,  and  suffering,  and 
death — where  there  is  so  little  confidence  in 
mankind,  and  every  good  man  has  so  many 
failings,  and  has  so  much  to  render  him  un- 
lovely and  uncomfortable,  and  where  there  is 
60  much  of  sorrow,  and  guilt,  and  sin  in  every 
form  ? 

Truly  this  is  an  evil  world,  and  so  it  is  like 
to  be.  It  is  in  vain  for  us  to  expect  that  it 
will  be  any  other  than  a  world  of  siri,  a  world  of 


524  HEAVEN,    A    WORLD    OF 


pride,  and  enmity,  and  strife,  and  so  a  restless 
world.  And  thongh  the  times  may  hereafter  be 
mended,  yet  these  things  will  always  be  more 
or  less  found  in  the  world  so  long  as  it  stands. 
Who,  then,  would  content  himself  with  a  por- 
tion in  such  a  world?  What  man  acting 
wisely  and  considerately,  would  concern  him- 
self much  about  laying  up  in  store  in  such  a 
world  as  this,  and  would  not  rather  neglect 
the  world,  and  let  it  go  to  them  that  would 
take  it,  and  apply  all  his  heart  and  strength 
to  lay  up  treasure  in  heaven,  and  to  press  on  to 
that  world  of  love  ?  What  will  it  signify  for 
us  to  hoard  up  great  possessions  in  this  world, 
and  how  can  the  thought  of  having  our  por- 
tion here  be  pleasing  to  us,  when  there  is  an 
interest  offered  us  in  such  a  glorious  world  as 
heaven  is,  and  especially  when  if  we  have  our 
portion  here,  we  must,  when  the  world  has  pass- 
ed away,  have  our  eternal  portion  in  hell,  that 
world  of  hatred,  and  of  the  endless  wrath  of 
God,  where  only  devils  and  damned  spirits 
dwell. 

We  all  naturally  desire  rest  and  quietness, 
and  if  we  would  obtain  it,  let  us  seek  that 
world  of  peace  and  love  of  which  we  liave 
now  heard,  where  a  sweet  and  blessed  rest 


CHARITY,    OK   LOYE.  625 


remaineth  for  God's  people.  If  we  get  an  in- 
terest, in  that  world,  then  when  we  liave  done 
with  this,  we  shall  leave  all  our  cares,  and 
troubles,  and  fatigues,  and  perplexities,  and 
disturbances  forever.  We  shall  rest  from 
these  storms  that  are  raging  here,  and  from 
every  toil  and  labor,  in  the  paradise  of  God. 
You  that  are  poor,  and  think  yourselves  de- 
spised by  your  neighbors  and  little  cared  for 
among  men,  do  not  much  concern  yourselves 
for  this.  Do  not  care  much  for  the  friendship 
of  the  world ;  but  seek  heaven,  where  there  ia 
no  such  thing  as  contempt,  and  where  none  are 
despised,  but  all  are' highly  esteemed  and  hon- 
ored, and  dearly  beloved  by  all.  You  that  think 
you  have  met  with  many  abuses,  and  much 
ill-treatment  from  others,  care  not  for  it.  Do 
not  hate  them  for  it,  but  set  your  heart  on 
heaven,  that  world  of  love,  and  press  toward 
that  better  country  where  all  is  kindness  and 
holy  affection.  And  here  for  direction  how  to 
seek  heaven. 

jptrst,  Let  not  your  heart  go  after  the  things 
of  this  world,  as  your  chief  good.  Indulge 
not  yourself  in  the  possession  of  earthly 
things,  as  though  they  were  to  satisfy  your 
soul.     This  is  the  reverse  of  seeking  heaven ; 


526  HEAVEN,    A   WORLD   OF 


it  is  to  go  in  a  way  contrary  to  that  which 
leads  to  the  world  of  love.  If  you  would 
Beek  heaven,  your  affections  must  be  taken 
off  from  the  pleasures  of  the  world.  You 
must  not  allow  yourself  in  sensuality,  or 
worldliness,  or  the  pursuit  of  the  enjoyments 
or  honors  of  the  world,  or  occupy  your 
thoughts  or  time  in  heaping  up  the  dust  of 
the  earth.  You  must  mortify  the  desires  of 
vain  glory,  and  become  poor  in  spirit  and 
lowly  in  heart. 

Second^  You  must,  in  your  meditations  and 
holy  exercises,  be  much  engaged  in  conversing 
with  heavenly  persons,  and  objects,  and  en- 
joyments. You  cannot  constantly  be  seeking 
heaven,  without  having  your  thoughts  much 
there.  Turn,  then,  the  stream  of  y(^r  thoughts 
and  affections  towards  that  world  of  love,  and 
towards  the  God  of  love  that  dwells  there, 
and  toward  the  saints  and  angels  that  are  at 
Christ's  right  hand.  Let  your  thoughts,  also, 
be  much  on  the  objects  and  enjoyment^  of  the 
world  of  love.  Commune  much  with  God  and 
Christ  in  prayer,  and  think  often  of  all  that 
is  in  heaven,  of  the  friends  who  are  there, 
and  the  praises  and  worship  there,  and  of  all 
tliat  will   make  up  the  blessedness  of  that 


CHARITY,    OR   LOVE.  627 


world  of  love.     "Let  your  conversation  be  in 
heaven." 

Third^  Be  content  to  pass  througli  all  diffi- 
culties in  the  way  to  heaven.  Though  the 
path  is  before  you,  and  you  may  walk  in  it  if 
you  desire,  yet  it  is  a  way  that  is  ascending, 
and  filled  with  many  difficulties  and  obsta- 
cles. Tliat  glorious  city  of  light  and  love  is, 
as  it  were,  on  the  top  of  a  high  hill  or  moun- 
tain, and  there  is  no  way  to  it  but  by  upward 
and  arduous  steps.  But  though  the  ascent  be 
difficult,  and  the  way  full  of  trials,  still  it  is 
worth  your  Vv^hile  to  meet  them  all  for  the  sake 
of  coming  and  dwelling  in  such  a  glorious  city 
at  last.  Be  willing,  then,  to  undergo  the  la- 
bor, and  meet  the  toil,  and  overcome  the  dif- 
ficulty. What  is  it  all  in  comparison  with 
the  sweet  rest  that  is  at  your  journey's  end? 
Be  willing  to  cross  the  natural  inclination  of 
flesh  and  blood,  which  is  downward,  and 
press  onward  and  upward  to  the  prize.  At 
every  step  it  will  be  easier  and  easier  to  as- 
cend ;  and  the  higher  your  ascent,  the  more 
will  you  be  cheered  by  the  glorious  prospect 
l)efore  you,  and  by  a  nearer  view  of  that 
heavenly  city  where  in  a  little  while  you  shall 
forever  be  at  rest. 


628  HEAVEN, 

Fourth^  In  all  your  way  let  your  eye  be 
fixed  on  Jesus,  who  has  gone  to  heaven  as 
your  forerunner.  Look  to  him.  Behold  his 
glory  in  heaven,  that  a  sight  of  it  may  stir 
you  up  the  more  earaestly  to  desire  to  be 
there.  Look  to  him  in  his  example.  Con- 
eider  how  by  patient  continuance  in  well-do- 
ing, and  by  patient  endurance  of  great  suffer- 
ing, he  went  before  you  to  heaven.  Look  to 
him  as  your  mediator,  and  trust  in  the  atone- 
ment which  he  has  made,  entering  into  the 
holiest  of  all  in  the  upper  temple.  Look  to 
him  as  your  intercessor,  who  forever  pleads 
for  you  before  the  throne  of  God.  Look  to 
him  as  your  strength,  that  by  his  Spirit  he 
may  enable  you  to  press  on,  and  overcome 
every  difficulty  of  the  way.  Trust  in  his 
promises  of  heaven  to  those  that  love  and  fol- 
low him,  which  he  has  confirmed  by  entering 
into  heaven  as  the  head,  and  representative, 
and  Saviour  of  his  people.     And, 

Fi/th^  If  you  would  be  in  the  way  to  the 
world  of  love,  see  that  you  live  a  life  of  love ; 
of  love  to  God,  and  love  to  men.  All  of  us 
hope  to  have  part  in  the  world  of  love  here- 
after, and  therefore  we  should  cherish  the 
spirit  of  love,  and  live  a  life  of  holy  love  here 


CHAEITY,    OR   LOVE.  529 


on  earth.  This  is  the  way  to  be  like  the  in- 
habitants of  heaven,  who  are  now  confirmed 
in  love  forever.  Only  in  this  way  can  you 
be  like  them  in  excellence  and  loveliness, 
and  like  them,  too,  in  happiness,  and  rest,  and 
joy.  By  living  in  love  in  this  world  you  may 
be  like  them,  too,  in  sweet  and  holy  peace, 
and  thus  have,  on  earth,  the  foretastes  of  heav- 
enly pleasures  and  delights.  Thus,  also,  you 
may  have  a  sense  of  the  glory  of  heavenly 
things,  as  of  God,  and  Christ,  and  holiness ; 
and  your  heart  be  disposed  and  opened  by 
holy  love  to  God,  and  by  the  spirit  of  peace 
and  love  to  men,  to  a  sense  of  the  excellence 
and  sweetness  of  all  that  is  to  be  found  in 
heaven.  Thus  shall  the  windows  of  heaven  be, 
as  it  were,  opened,  so  that  its  glorious  light 
shall  shine  in  upon  your  soul.  Thus  you  may 
have  the  evidence  of  your  fitness  for  that 
blessed  world,  and  that  you  are  actually  on  the 
way  to  its  possession.  And  being  thus  made 
meet,  through  grace,  for  the  inheritance  of 
the  saints  in  light,  when  a  few  more  days 
shall  have  passed  away,  you  shall  be  with 
them  in  their  blessedness  forever.  Happy, 
thrice  happy  those,  who  shall  thus  be  found 
faithful  to  the  end,  and  then  shall  be  wel- 


530  HEAVEN,    A   "WORLD   OF   CHAUnT. 


coined  to  the  joy  of  their  Lord  !  There  they 
shall  hunger  no  more,  neither  thirst  any  more ; 
neither  shall  the  sun  light  on  them,  nor  any 
beat,  for  the  Lamb  which  is  in  the  midst  of 
the  throne,  shall  feed  them,  and  lead  them  to 
fountains  of  living  waters,  and  God  shall  wipe 
away  all  tears  fromtheir  eyes ! 


THE  END. 


far 


